Among the Dark
by appabend
Summary: Young Bruce Wayne has kept a dark plot on going out against the Wayne family killer. But he couldn't be more shocked if by accident, he also had to take that position of parents killer to a very young girl. Will he be able to learn from those mistakes and grow up into someone else better... or even something else? [Rated T, Alternate Universe, Written for Everyone]
1. S01C01

Chapter 1

Gotham City: A city full of corruption and the results of the decay of human decency. Corruption overwhelms the entire city. Starting from the government officials to the law-bringers themselves. Dangers are in every corner of the streets lurking towards those who do not expect it. When it reached them, lives will be lost, or feels like it has been lost, and they can't fight it, not with the power that they have, if there are any.

Peoples who had their hopes high for a job in Gotham will be very disappointed at their best, and abused by crime at worst. There is no fairness to be put on the play. It has never been fair-play to win in Gotham. It has always been cheating, lying, and corruption that wins the game. It is not a bright day for the peoples of Gotham, and perhaps there never will be one.

Bruce Wayne is at least fortunate enough to grow into a wealthy family. He is the Prince of Gotham. He is the child prodigy of two of the most successful peoples in Gotham City. These are the peoples who had the power and the hopes to build a city of people's dreams, a utopia never once thought and believed, but possible to achieve, a city with dreams and hopes.

And all of that just got crushed by a shot to the chest.

By the time of their death, all he could think of was the time when they stood by beside him, keeping him happy every time. All he could think of was that pleasant smile carved on their faces looking at Bruce with the hope of the future. It was only that smile and that little pat in the back that could show Bruce the light, and now they're gone, everything has gone darker, and Bruce is lost inside.

Right now, the responsibility of one little boy is now up to his always loyal butler Alfred Pennyworth, and even though he is capable to live through the world of Gotham, he is not ready for someone like Bruce Wayne, and vice versa. The things that he did, washing his clothes, making him food and drink for the day, getting him to the mall, was he really ready for this? And was all of that enough to make someone like Bruce to feel that smile once again?

Alfred had no choice. Bruce had no one else in his life. If the lights that his parents had sparkled through his darkest part was the size of the sun illuminating the earth every day, Alfred could only give one in a size of a small star in the night. He was drenched with sweat through the entire day. No more time to waste on his life. No more time to rest. The life of a boy is at his grip, and he could fall into the void at any time.

From that moment Bruce had to witness the bullets shatter through the chest of his most beloved peoples, the old Bruce Wayne died, and a new person is born. It's like he was digging through the rubbles of dirt that covered him after his soul got buried deep in the dark. The void wasn't his friend. The light is, and he had to find the light, that light that only lies among the dark.

Bruce had been very capable of handling his own matters even after his parent's death. He has been smarter, more reliable, and can actually take care of himself. He did the laundry, cleaning his own room, dusting the furnitures, and even making his own food many time just to show that he is at least capable of handling himself. Alfred didn't really have to do all of his work, and he was happy that he actually thought of him.

It was all good and dandy, but Bruce hadn't realized something. When he was in the dark, he found the light. Even if you are surrounded by the light, darkness will follow.

He had never intended to enter the Court of Joe Chill's release. Too many peoples were inside the building. Too many relatives, and too many peoples agreeing to this early release petition. Why should a waste like him be considered free? Why would someone who destroyed Bruce's past life should be released out of his punishments? It was beyond him to answer.

Once he was in the court, there was an urge to just smack him in the face with something hard, preferably the fire axe across the room. The court could only make the mood even worse. Peoples rambled about unnecessary things. All the pointless gossips and rumors that couldn't be any louder inside the court. It caught Bruce's ears. He just wanted a moment of silence for once.

Judge Faden actually came. It was surprising. Half of the city's criminals were still running away from the cops. All of that probably thanks to him. He wouldn't crack a single tear after a genuinely helpless family begged for their lives after being framed. He was smiling at the sight of the hundred dollar bills that caught his eyes. As long as he did what the owner of the dollar bill said to him, he is clean. Christ.

The crowds were chatting with each other, covering up the silence of the court room with the loud and distracting voice. Everyone was just waiting for the appearance of the convicted criminal Joe Chill. It has been 10 years since the event. It's not even close for the punishment necessary. Many peoples have forgotten the look of his parent's murder, but not Bruce. His face, it always drive him to go to this day. A sight of that picture burst his desire to come here to do something right. He wants justice to fall to this person, and by giving him early release is only going to make things worse.

Joe Chill walked in. All those voices now slowly faded away as the loud thuds of judge's most precious hammer slammed down the table. Chill walked towards the seat. His face is as pale as a blank wall. Even from there, Bruce could feel his anxiety. His walk is so slow it's almost like he was being pushed away by an invisible force that prevented him from walking in front of the judge. It actually wasn't really the invisible force. Perhaps it was the very sharp and threatening stares of the peoples attending the court. It made him nervous, and it shows.

As Chill took a seat right in front of the judges following his lawyer behind him, the court began. This is the time where both sides state a bunch of gibberish to make sure that someone like Chill to either get out or continue serving his time in jail. Bruce honestly didn't care about all of that. All he cared about is what kind of sentence that Chill will have. He will either go back and serve his jail time or just get out. Either way, Bruce would be very satisfied, and either way, he had to be ready for the action that he wanted to do.

"Thanks to Mr. Chill's extreme cooperation of the city's most important of cases," His lawyer began, "We're strongly endorsing for his early release."

Bruce is convinced that this whole court was rigged so that Chill could get out of the jail. Looks like he had to serve Justice by himself. He had to find a very unsuspicious place, a place where no one can look and a place where he could take his personal vendetta and unleash it against him.

But not here.

##

Carol Brown had enough of this nonsense. She had it with these corrupt officials. She had it with murder cases, and most importantly, she had it with this city. She should definitely get a car and just kick her way out of here, but if only she could make more than two dollars an hour, if only the cities of Gotham not riddled with street thugs and car chases that are apparently more frequent than Christmas. If only the city is not riddled with gang wars.

Every hour, a good person in the city, a person that a lot of peoples have trusted for years, and a person who will stand up against corruption, will slowly be consumed by the same thing they had been opposing, and in result, they will commit crimes, crimes as big as the murder of the Wayne family. Ten years ago, it is proven correct with Joe Chill. He was just a normal everyday construction worker. He was a good working partner for Carol, but all the sudden, he killed two of the most important peoples in Gotham. Carol didn't know what stumbled up upon him. She considered him a partner, a friend, and it is a shame to see someone like him to be consumed by corruption.

Carol's job was to pick up Joe Chill. Apparently she's the only person that cared for him at this very moment, but unfortunately the reporters are another concern. They were ready in front of the main door to the court room. They will record and note everything that they need to print or report in the next day, or perhaps this afternoon, or perhaps even now. As desperate as possible, they got the cameras rolling as they talk literally anything just to get the reports. Sometimes the public should be aware that the press are making money out of people's misery.

Mr. Chill went out of the court room. By the time the reporters outside got the sight of him. They got their cameras rolling and the reporters ready to give him questions, but it all stopped only for a moment. Some of the reporters suddenly paid their attention into someone else. Knowing that this is the murder case of one of the wealthiest peoples in Gotham, at least one of the Wayne family should come to the hearing, if not a friend.

But it is actually a family. Bruce Wayne can be seen walking out of the door, who is actually the last person she expected to be on this hearing. He lowered his head down. He walked as slowly as possible, trying not to get discovered by the reporters. That scowl he had on his face only signify so much. He never wanted to be here, but the man who did this has shaped his life to this point.

By the time the reporters becoming fed up with Chill's lack of cooperation, their attention turned towards Bruce Wayne, and the young billionaire, who is usually really good at spoon-feeding jokes towards the audience while having underage girls on his side, is now looking away and disgusted by the sight of the news reporter. They gave him with multiple questions that even the most brutal of school teachers says it's too much.

Carol served on as his driver for today, giving him the ride back home that he absolutely needed the most. She just picked up her daughter from Gotham Elementary. The hearing is done, and the only thing to worry about right now is Mr. Chill.

"Mom." The 9 year old Stephanie called. All she could do was moving her head so that she could see what's up with the reporters gathered up in the hearing. "What are we doing here?"

"I'm picking up a friend." Carol kept her focus on the reporters, but the moment her daughter asked that question, she thought that it might be best to keep it straight. "He needs our help, and you know what we should do when our friends in trouble?"

"Yes, I know!" Stephanie replied with a cheery face and pointing the air with her hand. "We help them, right?"

"That's my girl." Carol scratched her daughter's head. Both were sitting in the front seat of their Land Rover. So she could see the adorable look on her face when she said that, but adorable is just a glimpse of the light that has been covered by the darkness of her past. She glanced again at that area near her shoulder. It was the number one thing that caused the most pain inside her heart. It all happened so fast.

"It's been very hard for us to live here." Carol loosen her grips on the steering wheel and let her eyes stuck back towards the reporters. "Your father is in prison, my work is getting tougher and tougher every year, but I can't lose my spirit now, because I have you." She glanced back at her daughter and held her hand tight. "You're a miracle, Stephanie. No matter what happens, I will never let anything bad happen to you."

"It's okay, mom." Stephanie smiled. "I don't care if we have to live on the streets. I just want you to be there for me."

Carol honestly wanted to tear up at this moment and hug the little brat for making her doing so. That smile she made, it is enough to make her happy even at the darkest of moments. "I just want to say sorry. I couldn't give you the best things or the best toys or..."

"You don't have to buy me the best toys to say I love you. I think those three words were enough."

Stephanie couldn't have shown her caring and compassion attitude better than that sentence. She was just nine, and she just made a grown up woman to be crying on her tears. Carol wasn't crying, at least on the outside. She was smiling happily towards her daughter. "I love you too, honey."

After a few minutes, Mr. Chill can be seen pass by. She honked her car to get his attention and it managed to get his. "Hey, Joe!"

Chill actually stopped. "Carol." He noticed the caller. He still had that tired, gruffly voice. The lung problems that he had once always gave him another side of his character. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to help." She said. "Come in before the reporters get to you first."

55

Justice is not going to come this time. Not this, time. Too much reporters, too much witnesses, too much peoples around. It is not a great time be the judge, jury, and executioner. There is a time, but not now. He could only walk with their mouth shut, unable to even construct a single word. Bruce did not focus in any of the reporters. He just ignored every subtle slur that they stated through those questions.

More questions fed by the reporters could only drive him crazier. Chill had just entered a Land Rover. As he caught the sight on that beastly car, he decided that it might be best to get this problem with the reporters over with.

He gestured his hand up, telling all of them just to be quiet for a while. Just a few seconds and the reporters shut their mouth up. "Mr. Chill got his early release, good for him." Bruce said. "That's all you're going to get for now."

They obviously didn't listen. They kept feeding him the unnecessary and sometimes rather rude and harsh questions. That's what reporters do. Bruce Wayne understood it for the billionth of time, but that doesn't mean that he is not annoyed. Thank god for the Wayne Enterprise's bodyguard for actually making the press to back away from Wayne for a while.

Alfred came in with the limo just right towards Bruce. He came in on time. Those reporters had been quite the nuisance. So Bruce immediately entered his personal car. As Bruce entered the limo, his bodyguard followed to get in, but he got a respect for his privacy. He gave him a personal space in the back, while the bodyguard himself took a seat right beside the driver. That is what bodyguards should do: Providing both protection and privacy at the same time.

Bruce took a comfortable seat in his not so wide backseat. Finally he got some loneliness in this mini sort of room. It has everything he needed to deal with depression, including a fridge containing some good cold beer. Loneliness, it's something that he is used to, and is something that he needed. He looked back at the reporters, feeling a bit guilty for not giving them the information back as they desperately handing their microphones to Bruce's face. Some even dare to tap the windows with it, but they disrespected his privacy, and that is a great payback for them.

"How is the hearing, Master Bruce?" Alfred spawned a question, but this is not the monotonous question tone that the reporters usually feed him. It's Alfred's typical, cynical, and very ethical British tone. "I bet the reporters will be very satisfied."

"I gave them hell." Bruce replied. His eyes were bleak and his energy was drained. He had enough. "I need some time to be alone. Do you mind not asking any questions for the next few minutes?"

"Yes I do." Alfred turned back towards the road. "We'll just turn on the radio."

Alfred had driven them away from the reporters and the court. In the middle of Gotham, a city filled with many kinds of buildings and skyscrapers, Alfred sneaked in the so-called limo which turned out to be just a late 2000 black Honda Civic towards the traffic. Oh god the traffic. If Gotham was the Pacific Ocean, then the traffic would be every single fish inside, wandering and travelling aimlessly towards the place without any direction after another, bursting through the waters like it was nothing.

The car managed to sneak in really well. It was silent, reliable, and most importantly small enough to get through the swarm of traffics. They are at least free from the reporters at this moment, but they are not free from traffic, at least not forever. Old men always complained about the traffic. "I'm taking a shortcut to the Sixth Avenue."

The mansion hasn't changed so much. Ten years after the death of the Wayne, Bruce had never considered a redecoration. He thought it was unnecessary. He wanted to keep it just like the old times. He wanted the old memory, but every time he sees that same kind of structure on the stairs, the gargoyles in every corner of the mansion, and the huge double doors that he thought was a little unnecessary, it could only hurt him as much. It kept reminding him of what happened before 10 years ago when his parents were still alive. As beautiful it was, bringing back those memories could only hurt. The more he got reminded of it, the more he wanted them, and the more he descended back into darkness.

Bruce arrived at the familiar sight of his home, the 19th century looking Wayne Mansion that has never changed for the past few years. Finally, a real time for some privacy. He needed all of it after all this time. No disrespect for the bodyguard or Alfred, but they are not the kind of peoples that would help someone like him at this moment. As the car slowly stopped at the stairway towards the mansion, he quickly opened the car door and rushed up the stairs. Not sure what he's up to this time.

"It'll be more polite if you let me stop first, Master Bruce!" Alfred stopped the car for that response, and he was pretty loud on noticing him that. Except he is still pretty polite, it's just loud.

"I'm in a hurry." Bruce replied, running up the stairs. "I need some time alone. Don't follow me."

Alfred noticed his lies, and Bruce knew that. Of course he is going to send someone just to make sure that young, 18 year old Bruce doesn't deal with any trouble, but Bruce's tone is serious, and Alfred could figure it out already.

Something is wrong inside the master's face. He didn't look up for a desperate, sad, and dissatisfied face. He looked up at the face of a potential killer. It is filled with rage, driven with anger, sweated with pain and suffering, all of that to harm another people's life. It is the most pointless of actions, and the most pointless of endings. Alfred had realized that for a long time ago. All that time he served the country, he knew a killer just through his eyes. Bruce Wayne is not going to be the same kind of person he used to be. He won't be a killer. Not a chance.

##

Chill was just originally a construction worker, but he had to be fired due to the construction being cancelled. He got no work left. So Carol picked him up and gave him some work. It was a great deal. Except that he kept stumbling back to criminality. Although she couldn't blame him as Gotham hasn't been friendly towards middle to low class citizens, it still boggled her mind that he would turn down such an honest work. How can someone like him stumble to this all along?

Christ, Gotham has evidently changed people. Some may change for the better like her and Stephanie, but others might have changed for the worst, but she wasn't sure what has caused the different ends. Desperation was probably the number one cause, but peoples have grown from desperation and turn into someone better in the past.

Carol drove her cheap and old Land Rover back to the apartment. She had always been the chatty kind of person, but she didn't spout a word this time. Honestly, she was wondering how could Stephanie endured so much damage after her constant fights with Arthur both physically and mentally. The damage done to her was too much of the physical part, but thankfully Carol is able to get her mental health back, and she had to admit she was a much better person growing up at this moment.

"I don't understand you, Mr. Chill." Carol sounded quite bitter, and angry, but she kept it under her control. "I gave you an opportunity. I gave you a job. I gave you the offer to move on and be a better person, and somehow you robbed, failed, and ended up killing two peoples instead, two of the most important peoples in this city! What have gone through your mind?"

Chill did not respond.

"You need help." Carol kept her focus on the road as he lectured him. "I can help you, and I want to help you. You have skills, and peoples are going to need someone like you for the company."

"No offense, Mrs. Brown," He finally spoke up. His voice was still grumbled. The tone was as low as the bottom of a cliff, and just through the tone alone, the amount of concerns that he had with all of this was still very questionable. "But I'm ashamed to show myself to your friends."

"There is nothing to be ashamed of." Carol quickly pointed out. "You have a job in Gotham City, an honest one! And in this city, having an honest job is something to be proud of."

Carol was wrong about him for not being ashamed of being seen. Gotham peoples have a lot of prejudice against ex-convicts and corrupt peoples. A sight of an ex-convicts will certainly drive most peoples to a killing rage. The sight of someone like Joe Chill could be compared to the sight of a mosquito flying around peoples head. They just want to crush it until its dead and they are not bothered with it anymore.

She was right about having the job part. Walking around Gotham with a Doctor's Degree in Environmental Science and Engineering is not even enough to get a job as a constructor. All of those studies that Carol had in the many better Universities outside Gotham were wasted for nothing. It's Gotham. Since when was it going to be fair for her?

Carol sighed, throwing one of her hand up in annoyance. "People will have a hard time forgiving you, especially Wayne, but Wayne didn't realize something. I forgive you because you're just a victim, the same as everyone else, and the same as Wayne. You're a victim of this... godforsaken city. Stephanie, Arthur, me, nobody wants to be here. Even the most fortunate of peoples struggle to just get out of here. Gotham made you to be a killer, and I don't want you to be one again."

None of his responses came into Carol's ears. His mouth was shut tight on that revelation alone. "We'll talk about this later." Carol continued. "By the time you get out of my apartment, you'll find a good job and a good monthly salary. It will work for both of us. Trust me."

##

Bruce was about to go into the attic, a place that he always visit where his father always keep the most dangerous of things. He went there once two months ago. He was looking for some old archives that might could help him. The only things that he found were the remnants of his parents, and how important their role might be in his life, both as guardian angels, and as a guide to find happiness, something that he just couldn't get the same for the past 10 years.

After going through two stories, all he needed is just one simple action. He pushed up a secret button, located in a globe carved in one of the islands that are not actually a part of the world. It is something that he always remembered when his father gave him the access to this secret room. Screech of compartments can be heard at the top like a bunch of wood come crashing to each other, and then a trapdoor opened, pulling a small stairway down.

##

Alfred knew all about it. He knew what his master will do in these kinds of situations. He grew up with him even before Master Bruce is born. Nothing changed much since then. He had a lovely chat with the bodyguard Jerry. Jerry had been a loyal bodyguard to the Wayne family, but he became Bruce Wayne's loyal bodyguard just three years ago, making him Bruce Wayne's second friend after all of this.

It's not like Bruce was alone in this whole deal. The other companies that worked with him like Drake Industries, Kord Omniversal Research and Development (KORD), Kane Manufactures, Queen Consolidated, all have children who will inherit the company. The intelligent Tim Drake, the unbelievably attractive Katherine Kane, the charming Oliver Queen, and the determined and idealistic Ted Kord. They were all friends of Bruce Wayne, billionaire friends that still manage to make his childhood to live again, but it's not enough. Sure, Bruce had played with Tim a lot of times, but Katherine is a lesbian, Oliver Queen spends more time with his girls, and Ted is always busy dealing with the corporation alone.

Alfred just parked the car. He went out of it with the bodyguard and walked up the long stairs leading to the mansion. This is where a lovely chat turned dark the moment Jerry brought up a few questions.

"Alfred," Jerry asked. "I know that I don't have the rights to question this but I really have to know. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"What do you mean?" Alfred looked at him with skepticism.

"I know a killer's face when I see one." He revealed. "My old friend, he was stationed in this Iranian camp, staying up with this really nice family. They were very friendly. Then the insurgents just killed them, and he lost it. He can't fight anymore. He is compromised on the battlefield, so he is sent to rehab."

Alfred nodded. "I understand your concerns, but that is not going to be the case for Mr. Wayne."

"How do you know?"

"Master Wayne is not a soldier." Alfred pointed out. "This friend of yours no doubt is a very brave man. He serves the country by standing up for what's right, but he has a purpose, something that I doubt Master Wayne knew about. He doesn't even know what he wants to be. It's not the face of a killer. It's a face of a confused man. My purpose here is to guide him wherever necessary."

"And what if he is going to kill someone?"

"He won't." Alfred interrupted him. "But if you're really concerned about him, you can watch over him. Please do be anonymous though. The last thing he wanted is for someone like you to interrupt his private business."

"But his private business is... well..."

"He won't have his." Alfred revealed. "I have known Master Wayne even before he was born." Alfred kept his monotonous British tone in the mix, which will definitely confuse someone not too experienced as Jerry for that. "It is easy to outsmart an angry person. Relax. He won't kill anyone."

##

Bruce took a stairway up. It was nothing but old junks from the past, and memories that were too hard to remember. He didn't take it slow to explore things, though. He remembered where he wanted his steps to stop and his hand to reach. Among the dusty, not well-maintained room, beyond the good memories of Bruce's past, there was something else, something more sinister inside the room.

He found it. A tool for the ultimate justice, the instant solution, and the power to take someone's lives. A very small, silenced, and concealable, 22 revolver. It's white in color, but why white? Is it supposed to feel like a symbol, a symbol that this gun is going to bring justice to the world? The moment he had it on its hands, it fits, like inserting a CD into a jewel case: Perfect. It's very small. He could hide it wherever he wanted to. He could use it to bring justice to this world where the world really needs it.

He had never been trained to use something like this, but he has been quite certain that something like that would certainly pass someone's head in a speed of light. That would be an amazing accomplishment. Justice shall come in the form of a bullet, and Mr. Chill is going to have it.

Bruce closed the cupboard where he found the gun. A book was leaning to the cupboard's doors. By the time Bruce closed it, it fell down. It was a photo album, covered with a very thick but soft material. It was pink, sprinkled with plastic flowers and ribbons. He decided that it might be best to open that, to remind him of what he was.

It was the glimpse of his past. He decided to skip the baby photos. He thought that it didn't give him a lot of memories. So was the photos of his father's corporation deals. It's not something that he is terribly interested in. He skipped a lot until the end where the photo becomes more relevant.

He took the photo in the Circus where the Flying Grayson performed. It was his 10 year old self, standing in front of the two of the most important peoples in his life. Thomas Wayne, Martha Wayne, they looked incredible back in the day. The picture has depicted them in a much less depressing moment, the moment where he could actually feel something that he haven't felt for the past 10 years. He never felt happiness the same as when they grabbed his shoulders, standing behind him for what's right.

Bruce could remember the performance by the Grayson. Although he didn't take a picture with them. It was night time. It was pretty amazing. The Grayson were just on their beginning of fame, and perhaps it was because the Wayne family who managed to completely up their reputation, and who doesn't love the Grayson? They were amazing performers, and was ahead of their time.

It's a shame that it was his last live viewing of them.

He closed the photo album. It was a good moment, a good refresher to remind him what he was before, and how he felt before all of this happened. He took the pistol and hid it in his sleeves. The place is too dusty for him to take some breath on. It might be best just to leave him right now. He pressed another secret button, which will open the trapdoor and will put the stairs way down. As he was down, apparently, Alfred was already down there with hands in his back.

"Alfred?" Bruce noticed him.

"I knew you were here, Master Wayne." He shrugged and smiled. "You might reconsider putting that album photo of yours back to your room."

"I can't." Bruce replied, putting the album on the floor right near him. "All my memories, it's better be kept inside. It's much more peaceful than my room."

"That's what you think." Alfred commented. "Do you have any more plans to do in this afternoon?"

"I'm going for a walk." He walked down the stairs. "I've told you. I need some time to be alone."

"Very well, Master." Alfred nodded. "Please do be careful."

Bruce left Alfred with the trapdoor still opened. Alfred was never irritated, at least not on his expression. He pushed the globe back to restore the trapdoor to its original position, and in just a few moments, Bruce Wayne is out of his sight.

##

The bright sun of Gotham Afternoon dimmed away as the entered the grey, smelly, and untreated darkness of the parking lot. It was located right beside her apartment, and all it can do is park cars and release wastes. The first thing that stuck on Carol's mind the moment they entered the parking lot was the strike of the smell sneaking inside her nose. She slapped her forehand towards her nostrils, making sure that those smells aren't going to be sneaky bastards again.

Driving with one hand, she couldn't really get a grasp of the steering wheel. A rather expensive-looking Cadillac went in reverse. The driver didn't even bother to look at the mirrors. He just kicked the gas without even noticing her Land Rover approaching. Carol only needed a glimpse of the caddy to completely lunge her feet towards the brakes.

"Christ!" Carol exclaimed.

Fortunately, it wasn't too late to kick in. Thanks to the speed bumps planted only a few feet before, the Rover didn't go into a maximum speed. The stop that Carol made out of nowhere wasn't too hard, but it certainly made Stephanie and Chill to notice.

"Mom! Be careful!" Stephanie exclaimed.

The Rover went pass the black caddy and focused on finding a place to park her car instead. In this kind of place, there aren't a lot of peoples that will park on the third floor. The parking lot is so empty it felt like it was hers. Not many peoples live in the third floor either. So it's double privacy for her.

She stopped the car and turned the engine off. Carol went out of it first, and in an instant, she is already besides the backseat door, opening it for Chill.

"Please." She asked gently. "I give you a chance, a hospitality. You should be grateful for it."

He scoffed. "Like I need one."

Carol didn't speak a word and instead stayed on topic. She should've been angry, but she wanted to keep it under control. "We'll talk about this in my apartment."

"Why not talk about it now?" Chill retorted. "Why do you care of me so much?"

Carol closed her eyes, looking away from him. "It was Arthur. I wish I managed to talk some sense into him. I wish I just had..." She sighed. "I wish that I have a chance to right the wrongs, and I think that I can start with you. So please don't fail me."

He didn't even flinch. He just sat there in silence. This really managed to confuse her of whatever he is thinking right now. Whatever it is, it's not going to be good.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Brown." Chill shook his head. He went out of the car, and as Carol backed away to give him some space, he continued. "I can't take your offer."

Carol sighed. She lied her head down as Mr. Chill left her disappointed. He left them in a hurry, but instead of chasing him off, Carol let him go. It is his choice after all, and all she did is making an offer, an offer that he can get away from again. Disappointed, Carol closed the car door. "Let's go, Steph."

It's hard to find a good house in Gotham. Gotham never really cared for the low-mid level citizens. The best house that someone had in Gotham is the Wayne Mansion. Bruce Wayne may have been so proud. The best apartment that someone had in Gotham is the Drake Cottage. It's a five story building with the most perfect balcony and the most perfect of swimming pools. She didn't care for it. She couldn't afford it. Why would she be thinking of it?

It's not the glamour and royalty that made a house comfortable. The Brown family always had a decent and comfortable place to live in. The white wallpaper combined with the not-so bright wooden furnitures made it seems more natural. It's the sense of familiarity that has gotten her here, and it cannot be bought by any money in this world.

The two finally arrived at the front door of their house. Carol was turning the keys of her apartment when Stephanie glanced at the grumpy face of her mother, and Carol noticed her worries. After her offer was rejected, she walked slower than usual, like being dragged down by gravity wasn't enough.

"Mom," Stephanie called her. "Are you okay?"

Carol sighed, slightly out of breath. "I'm fine, honey. I'm just slightly out of breath." She answered. It was nice and gentle, like how she would usually talk to her, but it wasn't enough to cover her unfit conditions for today.

"I don't believe you."

"I know." She quickly replied. She gazed back at her, smiling, but it was very bitter, and she could still see the worries in those blue eyes. She was happy to see that she cared so much.

Finally, the door is unlocked. Carol grabbed the cold round metal door knob, and twisting it around. The door creaked, revealing the familiar sight of the living room. Just by looking at it, their struggles and problems, all propelled into the far side of their head. Their focus now turned into finding anything that can make them comfortable: Sofa, Chair, Bed, etc. Now, all they need is a good day rest. It has been an exhausting day.

"I'm going to make some meals. Do you want some?" Carol offered her daughter.

"Yes, please." She replied, but the lunch had to wait as she remembered something that she forgot last time. "Oh I think I left my phone back in the car. I'll be right back."

Carol smiled. To see her to grow up like that, to see her to be just like her in many ways, to see her smile, it is one of the greatest achievements of being a mother. She was pretty sure that Stephanie could feel the same way.

Stephanie opened up the door, only to find a rather surprising sight right up the front. It is no doubt someone familiar. The dark grey coat, the grizzly moustache, she didn't expect him to come. What is he doing right here?

The presence caused her to widen her eyes and gasped. "Mr. Chill!" She exclaimed.

"I'm sorry about that." Those are his first few words after that rather unfriendly encounter. "I asked the neighbors where I can find your room. I reconsidered your offer."

Stephanie turned around and was about to head back towards the kitchen to call for her mother, but she didn't have to. Her mother is already there, also rather surprised to see him here. "Come in. She will be very happy to have you here."

#END#

A/N: This is a fiction I really want to do for a long time. I decided to make this one mostly for non-comic fans or even peoples who weren't interested on Batman all along but still want some new spin on the origin story. This fan-fiction is going to be mostly focused on Stephanie Brown. On what exactly? Well, just keep reading and of course review.

Next Chapter: Villain Introduction.


	2. S01C02

Chapter 2

Using the motorcycle, Bruce Wayne finally arrived at the residence of the people that was picking up Mr. Chill for reasons unknown. It was completely beyond him about why someone would pick up Joe Chill. He went inside the smelly, grey parking lot that is just fitting for the kind of personality that Mr. Chill have, and parked his motorcycle right in the appropriate place.

He stormed inside. It wasn't too crowded. The broadcast of the trial seems to be rather late for the Gotham City News, and Bruce can be seen in the news. Bruce didn't really use anything to disguise himself, nor even changing his attire. He just took his motorcycle and just ride off with it, and that is going to be a problem when he's dealing with a potential witness.

Thankfully, he didn't really have to ask the receptionist. Thanks to his vast database that can be captured by the Wayne technology, he is able to find the exact address of Mrs. Brown's location. All he had to do is just to get pass the receptionist...

Too late. Their eyes met for a brief second. In awe, she looked back at the TV to confirm his appearance. Bruce slightly panicked. The moment she turned her head back towards the TV, he rushed in towards the elevator. By the time she turned around, he is already gone. "Probably just my feeling."

Bruce's attention is now completely turned into the elevator. This will bring him to the third floor where Mrs. Brown, and of course, the killer himself Mr. Chill would be. All he needed is just the elevator and the room. It won't take too long. He pressed a button to reach the level that he wanted, which is level 3.

_Ding! _The elevator finally stopped into the aforementioned level. The sight is peaceful, but frightening enough. The emptiness of the hallway is just the illusion of safety. Bruce didn't like this one bit. At one moment, something could pop up from a door and got a sight of him. If that happens, and someone happens to recognize him, he is as good as dead. He made his own rule. As long as you can't see, they won't see you.

The third floor hallways is relatively small. The moment Bruce Wayne tucked his head out, he could only see a door. Just from the metallic plating, he could see that it's not going to be someone's primary door for an apartment. Both sides have two rooms in range, with doors placed in the opposite side.

A conversation can be heard in the room to the right. It was very loud, as loud as if Bruce had been very angry that his pizza didn't arrive on time. This is just half past ten in the morning, and it sounded like someone arguing. Perhaps it was Carol and Chill who got into an argument, like they were couples or something.

He was right about the couples part, except it wasn't Carol and Chill. It was just a random housewife who had gotten into a rather nasty argument. Bruce was overhearing the conversation from the outside. Just moments where the wife is about to go out, he stepped away from the door and immediately find a place where he couldn't be seen. The wife went out of the room, weeping with both of her hands covering her face, which is a great plus for Bruce's sort of stealth mission, and the husband's only focus is to follow her.

Well, close distraction there. He double-checked on his phone to find out Mrs. Brown's apartment room. He found the number, 39, but haven't found the room yet. He tucked his head in every corner of the level, and just by then, his sight was snapped into just one room, the room that he had in his mind and is also the correct one after all: Room 39. Great.

Sometimes he wondered why he was called reckless by so many peoples, and now, he understood. He initially thought that he won jackpot, but all of that was just a tease for the upcoming ZONK to kick in and laugh at his face. The moment he embraced his victory, he caught a sight of a woman. Just by the dark brown hair and the sharp eyes that caught him after it popped right into him, Bruce knew that it was the owner of the apartment, Carol Brown.

Carol froze. She glanced back at the room where Chill is in. She closed the door immediately. She was calm and steady, the kind of attitude that she should've had facing someone like him.

Bruce had no intentions of hurting her, but she is smart enough to know that he won't. Unfortunately, every inch she gets closer, it was like being pinned down and pressured in a wall, and then, with no one in particular around, with the silence of the 3rd floor covering the entire apartment, she finally spoke. "You're here for him, aren't you?"

Her tone was very soft, but her expression was cold and brutal. It's like a bolt of lightning suddenly stroke Bruce's body and froze him still in place. Bruce was flinched by those words.

"Mr. Wayne," Carol spoke before he could. Although not as loud as before, he could still hear her speaking. "The moment you step inside this door, and you point a gun right at Mr. Chill's face especially right near my daughter's, I'm not hesitant to call the police, or even stop you myself."

Bruce scoffed, not showing any signs of being threatened. "You know that you're protecting a killer."

"He was." Carol disrupted. "But he has moved on. He would never do the same thing again. Why can't you?"

Bruce closed his eyes, pausing for a moment to think of how to win this battle. He exhaled, and continued. "I watched my parents die in his hand. I've seen him for what he's capable of. The world is better off without him."

"And so are you." Carol pointed out. "The last thing that this city needs is a billionaire murderer. What if your parents found out that you killed someone? What are they going to say?"

In a moment of shock, Joe Chill broke through the two, pushing both Carol away. Carol managed to get a hold of their feet, but Mr. Chill was already running into the other corridor.

Bruce pulled his concealed gun. The iron sight snapped to wherever Mr. Chill stepped, but Carol was quick. After regaining control of her balance, she ran towards the gun's sight, defending him with whatever it takes.

Unfortunately, before Bruce could react, the gun is shot.

As Carol stumbled to the ground grabbing the exact area where Bruce shot him, he couldn't even have a second to think of what he just did. He froze. His hands shook violently. He immediately dropped the weapon out of the way. No words to describe what he is feeling right now. No punishment is able to pay for what Bruce had done.

"MOM!"

It was made even worse when Carol's daughter, Stephanie, shouted in panic and ran towards her. She looked down at her downed mother. As she hold her hands tight, she tore up and began to cry. A natural reaction, and a shocking one at that.

Bruce honestly couldn't really see the kind of injury that Carol suffered. He didn't even know what kind of gun that he used or if she can be saved with it. Carol was crouching in the fetal position while facing the other side covering her wounds from him. She didn't move an inch. Actually she was, but it was very unnoticeable.

As Stephanie glanced at the face of her dying mother, she stroke her sharp eyes at Bruce and began to shout at him. "YOU KILLED HER! YOU MURDERER!"

Honestly, Bruce had nothing. There is just nothing that could make the peoples around the world to sympathize with him. There was just nothing that could do it for him, nothing at all.

"I'm sorry." Bruce could only do so much. "Please, let me help her..."

"GO AWAY!"

The girl actually shrieked at him. Honestly, his presence is only making things worse here. It might have been better for him to leave this place immediately. Bruce left Stephanie and just ran away as fast as he could.

The gun on his hand, it now felt like it was representing his destructive nature. Right now, Joe Chill is the least of his problems. Whatever happened back there, he is going to jail for it. Nobody is going to forgive him. Nobody is going to sympathize with him for that. He inhaled deeply, and exhaled. That didn't make things better though. His heart was still beating like a drummer on a heavy metal concert. He could control his breath, but every time he put what happened in his head, he always lost breath.

Sometimes, the world just doesn't have enough violence already. The elevator arrived at the third floor parking lot. As it opened, Bruce tucked his gun away for a while. Nobody should see that he was the cause of a murder case. He actually found Mr. Chill in there, panicking and hiding behind a car. Wonder who he was hiding from.

Actually that was a legitimate question.

"HELP!" He whispered towards Bruce, trying to get his attention. "Please!"

What was he running away from? Bruce honestly wondered, but there is no time for that. He closed the elevator door. He never wanted to see the face that started all of this.

"Please!" He pleaded. This time, he shouted.

The moment he shouted, he could hear a car engine roaring. It sounded pretty loud at first, but he assumed that the car was just starting and heating up, but that loud sound was consistent the whole time. The intense tire shriek from the brakes also did not help the situation. Whatever it was, it was running fast.

Bruce did not choose to get the elevator open. The roaring engines of the car completely managed to make him worry. It went louder and louder, like a train coming up close towards him, but later, he changed his mind. The car just hit something. It sounded like one of the mirrors got cut down. Mr. Chill can be heard screaming out loud for some reason. Bruce opened the elevator, at the moment where he shouldn't be.

The black Cadillac chased Mr. Chill off. One of the peoples inside the car actually brought up a pistol. He shot it, and it managed to hit Mr. Chill's knees.

"What the..." Bruce actually witnessed that, and that cannot possibly be more disturbing. He then took cover in one of the pillars, but it won't help much.

Mr. Chill got injured in the knees. The thugs inside the black Cadillac went out, prepared with gangster-class machine guns. Loading up, they pointed out the sight right at Mr. Chill's face. He was absolutely terrified with that sight. Chill got both of his hands in front of him, and he was sweating too much for comfort.

"No, no... please!" He begged. "Please don't!"

Seeing Chill actually begged for life, Bruce questioned himself. Was he really the kind that would kill someone else's parents, or Bruce's for that matter? There were like three thugs in front of Mr. Chill, pointing their respective guns at him. The killer that he knew would just kill them out right, but he wasn't. He was defenseless, begging for life. That wasn't the kind of person that Bruce remembered, and that certainly wasn't the kind of person that would kill someone's parents.

Another person was coming out of the car. He wore typical business suit, but those were just alarms that this person is fancy in the most wrong of ways. The moment he went out of the Cadillac, Bruce already knew that he was trouble.

"No need for overkill." He said that with the most despicable of tones. All three of his thugs were pointing a gun right at Mr. Chill. He thought that was too much. "Two of you, pick up Bruce Wayne. He was hiding in that pillar over there."

He pointed out exactly right where Bruce Wayne hiding. That was more alarming than anything else in the planet. He was going to be in absolute danger and he had no idea how to escape from it.

"Hey." One of the thugs ordered by the crime boss or whoever he is just gave an order towards Bruce. "Get out of there, kid. We know you're in there."

The gun was his only hope. He got it out of his sleeve and walking gently outside. He pointed a gun right at the crime boss. Then the moment the thugs saw gun, they got theirs ready towards Bruce as well.

Of course, the gun was too small. That did not intimidate the crime boss by the least. "Zucco." He finally mentioned the name. His hair was beginning to grey out, like his suit. He had all of the things that could make him the proper gentlemen, except he isn't. A man was begging for his life, and he walked like it was another day of the business.

"I'm surprised that you know me, Wayne." He shrugged. "You saved me five minutes of the introduction."

"What are you doing here?"

"Should I waste more time explaining things to you, kid?" He said. "Okay, long story short: He got something that I want, but he won't give it to me."

Bruce kept pointing the gun at Zucco. He knew that he wasn't going to get intimidated by any means necessary, but it would be nice to keep that gun on his head all the time.

"You're honestly going to shoot me with that useless junk?" He grinned. "You know, I once thought out long that your goddamn butler must be stupid letting his own kid running around with a gun just for killing this guy over here."

Bruce let that point sink in for a while. "What are you saying?"

"He won't just let you out killing peoples unless if he had something planned on his head." Zucco revealed. "And my guess is that he knew about that gun."

Impossible. That was the first word that came in Bruce's head. He hid the gun rather well. How the hell could he possibly knew about this? "You're lying."

"I'm not lying, kid." Zucco said. "That gun you're carrying, it was blank. So gentlemen, put down your weapons." He asked two of his men.

Bruce widened his eye. His ignorance and his hatred just managed to get the better of him. It was so much that the very weapon that he was carrying was not loaded with actual bullets after all. All this time, Carol had been playing with him. Alfred has been playing with him. It was a trick all along.

"You know," Zucco continued. "Your butler was very smart. I won't waste any more time. I have something to show..."

Five more shots came out of the revolver, all towards the crime boss himself. It was in the most extreme of rage, but the gun ironically seems to be the only thing the way. All of those shots didn't even create a scratch right on the crime boss's expensive suit. His bodyguards do not react, knowing that it wasn't dangerous. Zucco himself slightly flinched, closing his eyes while grinning on his so fake moustache, but after five shots, he got nothing to worry about.

"See?" Zucco pointed out. "Now bring him here. I'd like to show him something. Try to be gentle, and don't use guns."

If Bruce couldn't even fight off a girl that was three years younger than him, then logically he couldn't fight two men that were twice his age. He tried regardless, throwing the gun away and preparing for a fight. Bruce charged towards the two thugs, but they easily overpowered him, pinning him down towards the Cadillac.

They pushed him towards the sight of Mr. Chill, who was just standing still and begging for help, and forcing him to actually see what Zucco actually wanted in the first place.

"You see," He began, dangerously waving his pistol around his face. "This guy over here is the reason why you're here. This guy over here is the reason why you feel desperate. I'm glad that he shot your mommy and daddy. Chill just put you on the same level as everyone else in Gotham."

"What are you going to do to him?" Bruce asked the important question.

"You'll see, kid." He pulled Bruce's head, forcing him to witness what is coming. "You're the Prince of Gotham. You got money, but you got no power and respect. For this time, I'm going to be your genie. You want this guy dead, it will be my pleasure to show it to you."

"No!"

Zucco scoffed, getting his pistol cocked up and ready to shoot whatever he wanted. "Get his eyes open. You should be careful of what you're wishing for, kid."

"NOO!"

And then just that. The other man who got his machine gun pointed right at Mr. Chill just pulled the trigger, and holding it for only about ten seconds before a barrage of ammunitions just went through him like it was nothing. It was not bleeding. He downright sprouting blood all over the place, like throwing a water balloon to a wall.

The moment it all ended, Chill was nothing but piles of flesh and blood pouring out of his body. He couldn't stand the sight. It was too disgusting to look at. He wouldn't even describe it. He shouldn't have. His imagination would probably be worse than what he saw in front of him. He never actually thought that he could think about this, but he was terrified that he was dead. He regretted every second of it.

"Get him off. I think he's about to puke." Zucco said.

Of course, like most rational peoples would, the sight triggered his reaction to just barf out all of his insides. The guard noticed this sooner than later, releasing him from his grip, as Bruce proceeded to run towards the corner of the room and puking it all over.

Soon after almost all of that were out, he was pulled back into the game by the thugs. Bruce tried to struggle, but he just couldn't do it. "What are you going to do to him, sir?" One of them asked.

"I'm going to give him some lesson."

Bruce got both of his hands grabbed in the back like before, and just in an instant, Zucco got his best punch right below his stomach. He didn't scream at all. Even a punch in the face didn't make him scream for help. Every moment he got Zucco's fist moving in in a speeding light towards his cheeks, he accepted it like it was his birthday gift. He kept looking at Zucco with wild alarming eyes, but Zucco was right about something.

"Money isn't going to buy everything, Wayne, nor will it make you to survive this godforsaken city." Zucco glanced at Bruce, who got left eye barely opening, and completely purple . "Power, Respect, those two are important. You ain't got no power. You ain't got no respect. That makes you at the same level as that bitch protecting him upstairs."

Bruce spat at him. That apparently caused him for a fit of rage as he kicked his stomach and quite literally spin-kicked his head. That one was even more powerful than any of the punches he threw. It was enough to make him groan in pain.

"You got guts." Zucco continued. "But you gotta use it in the right place." He spat back at the bloody corpse of Joe Chill. "Let him go."

The thugs got his arms off. Bruce sat down in a fetal position covering up his stomach and then his brutally wounded face. He glanced back at the bloodied corpse of Chill. It was a horrifying thing to look at. What has happened just reflected what Bruce actually wanted in the first place, and right now, wanting someone to die is the least of his requests.

"Why don't you just... kill me now?" Bruce asked him.

"I don't kill kids." He said. "When you're man enough, go stop by in the office. You'll die, but at least you're showing that you got a pair."

And there was that. He just left the scene like it was just an everyday occurrence. All of that was just a part of a grand plan, and Bruce Wayne was just the pawn of it all. He was a pawn to Alfred, to the Brown family, to Zucco. He was just a tool for all of this, and he can't accept it.

The world just suddenly got even more blurry. Those hits managed to definitely knock him out. Well fine, perhaps there was just a gentle soul out there that might help him, but he is Bruce Wayne, the Billionaire Playboy. He dates underage girls and taking responsibility like a pack of lions taking care of a child. If nobody was helping him at this rate, he wouldn't be surprised.

##

Honestly, Stephanie cannot imagine what to think. The person who shot her mother is right now at her room. Carol was trying her best to save him as much as she could. She gave him first aid and proper treatment after that horrendous beating. Stephanie was almost ten and she honestly could barely comprehend about why did she came into that conclusion.

Confusing motivations aside, Stephanie decided to approach her about this. Her mother was always the wisest of peoples. So she must have her reasons. "Why did you help him?"

"Because he needed our help." Carol said as she continued healing the injured man.

"But he shot you." Stephanie retorted on that statement. "And he wasn't your friend."

"He's a friend, actually." Carol stopped working on Bruce and looked back at Stephanie. "His parents were killed ten years ago. The only people left to take care of him is his butler. His butler is my friend, and he cares for him very much."

Stephanie was still confused of that. "But why did he shoot you?"

"He wasn't trying to shoot me, dear." Carol replied. "He was trying to shoot Chill."

"Why did he try to shoot him?"

Honestly, Carol had no other ways to put it. She might as well as go straight on her. Carol sighed before giving her statement. "Because Joe Chill killed his parents."

Stephanie was honestly couldn't be more shocked than anything. She could barely understand the murder of the Wayne family let alone the legal process. It was something that she shouldn't have been involved in, and it certainly wasn't something a kid should understand, but her mother put it in the simplest of ways. She wasn't even sure what to feel at this moment.

But she instead took the perspective towards Bruce's head. What if she had no parents to begin with? How would it feel? How would she feel when someone took her parents away? How was it feel living without one? What if what happened last time was actually real? Stephanie began to feel bad for Bruce as she looked at it at a different angle. She wouldn't have survived all this time without her mother, the same way Bruce wouldn't have survived without his butler.

Speaking of his butler, the doorbell rang. It must have been him at that door, and it cannot be more apparent than the noticeable British Accent that he had as he shouted outside. "Mrs. Brown?"

Alfred shouted from the outside and Carol noticed that. "That's Alfred."

"Who is Alfred?" Stephanie asked.

"It was his butler, and the closest person to be called his father now." Carol said. "Can you open the door for him? Tell him that I'll be there."

Stephanie nodded like the good little girl that she is. She marched towards the living room to greet the old man in person.

Shortly after, Bruce woke up. Right now, he realized where he is at this moment. He was in Brown's residence, specifically at the bedroom. The beating that he got earlier was treated by the person he almost killed. Honestly, he was puzzled by this. Why would someone like her help him? It's the most confusing of things that got him into this world. Gotham is weird.

"Relax." Carol said to him. "You just got horribly beaten up."

The only thing Carol kept doing all this time is just to keep pushing that cold towel towards the damaged part of his face. Honestly, from that kind of beating that he got, he didn't look any good with it, but Carol didn't care of what he just did. She just heal him with the best of her abilities.

"Why did you help me?" Bruce asked.

"It was Alfred. He knew you were coming. So he warned me about it." She finally revealed why she helped him this far. "I have to admit, he was smart. He gave that blank gun to you and he's so confident that you wouldn't kill anyone. When you shot me, I thought I was really dead, but that one really got you, didn't it?"

So it was all just a prank. It was all just an act to scare Bruce off. It was one of the most effective acts, but it all felt so genuine. He was actually glad that it was just an act. If it was real, then he would've been sent to Arkham.

"It wasn't entirely just an act, though." Carol revealed. "Chill didn't know about this. I thought he could get out alive, but Zucco came in and... he just wasn't a part of the plan."

He just needed to think for one moment. Alfred just prevented him from making another orphan. The anger and rage that consumed Bruce throughout his life all this time just turned him into another Joe Chill. The weapon that Alfred just gave to him, it wasn't just for show. It was for test, and he failed miserably at it.

"I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner." Carol apologized to him. "After you went out, I woke up to check in with my daughter. She was crying so loud. It was the loudest that I've ever heard from her. The thought of never seeing her mother again just crossed her mind, and even the thought alone was painful. It took me a while to calm her down so... I mean... if she had to witness that again, I..."

"But she won't... right?" Bruce interrupted. She was about to cry on those lines. "I'm sorry. I was so stupid. Alfred warned me so many times about this. I didn't even listen."

"You know," Carol said. "If that's true, then this felt like he had no choice. He had it with you not listening. He had it telling you. So he showed it."

Bruce paused. The thought damaged him more than anything. "God, he must have been very angry to me now."

"He wasn't." Carol said. "I'm speaking here as a mother, Bruce. He will never be angry at you. He cared for you as much as your parents do. That's why he kept telling you about all of that. That's why he took this action."

"But he put me in danger."

"Because he had no choice." Carol said. "If he had, he would've done something else to warn you about it. Besides, it wasn't him who put you in danger. It was you."

Usually, Bruce got mad when peoples accuse him of such things, but in this case, she was right. Bruce was the one who caused all of this. All of that anger he unleashed, it could've went to someone else. It could've went to her, and it also would've went to Stephanie.

"How is your daughter?" Bruce asked.

"She's fine for now, thank you." Carol went bitter on those words. "Don't worry, Bruce. At least you weren't like her father. At least you actually listened."

"Mom!" Stephanie called from the living room. "Alfred called!"

"I'm coming!" Carol shouted back. "I think I should go there. You can join us if you're able to get up."

"I..." Bruce struggled to get up. "I think I can..." He would if his injuries wasn't this bad. He couldn't even get himself off the bed.

"Then stay here." She pushed him back down the bed. "Unfortunately a gang war just escalated in the Narrows. Too many ambulances were busy. There was only one that wasn't though, and that one is still picking up what was left of Joe Chill."

That imagery, he shouldn't be thinking about it at all. Every bullet that travelled faster than light, gushing out the flesh of his body, sprouting blood like it a celebration champagne, all of those harmed Bruce more than he could think of. The best thing that he should be doing right now is to change for the better. Alfred fought for this. Carol nearly died because of this. He had better honor them both as much as he could.

##

"So how is Joe Chill?" Alfred asked.

"Dead." Detective Jim Gordon stated. "An entire clip of Uzi is unloaded towards him. It's horrible. It could've been worse. Bruce could've died!"

"I had him under my watch." Alfred stated. "It's just that I did not expect something like this to happen."

"Why should I believe that?" Gordon said. "You're living in Gotham City. Gang wars everywhere. Hell, we had one just yesterday and the hospital was overloaded with too many gang members and innocent peoples who got shot in the war. What I'm saying that he is your responsibility and you should've kept him away from this sort of thing."

Alfred glanced down, feeling rather guilty of the whole thing. "I apologize for that. This plan was simply foolish and unwise, but I had no choice. I wanted to give the young master a lesson, even if it had the means of putting him in danger."

"Well you certainly did give him one." Gordon said. "What he just saw, it could've traumatized him. You were lucky that he recovered. If he didn't..."

"I worry about Bruce Wayne, Detective." Alfred reassured him. "You worry about Gotham City."

Gordon spoke the truth. He was the most honest, straightforward detective that Gotham ever had. He was genuinely caring and peaceful towards others. He never came off as corrupt. He never came off as violent. He is a good sight for the eyes and is one of the most respectable cops that GCPD ever offered. There aren't a lot of those in the recent memories.

"Well, do what you must Alfred, for him." Gordon reassured him. "Even someone like Bruce Wayne had to be taken care of. I mean poor Barbara Junior. At least her parents were still alive."

"I heard they got divorced." Alfred said. "I'm sorry."

"Things like that happen in Gotham." Gordon got his hands on his hips and looked away from Alfred. "I hope that it doesn't happen to you."

Gordon left with some of the cops who wanted to get some information from him. That was at the state where Bruce Wayne still had to recover from his injuries. Bruce Wayne might have heal faster than any other peoples, but he still had his limits.

##

It has been two weeks. Bruce had been adjusting through his life. Ever since that, he had been acting rather well. He was more open, kinder to the public. He wasn't the usual idiot billionaire that smack paparazzi in the head every time they flash those abominable things called cameras in his face. He is the new Bruce Wayne, just trying to help the City of Gotham with his money and improving his face.

But before he could help the city, he need to help himself. He was damaged. So the first step is to find out who he is. His own purpose in this world is something that he should question. He got the money, but he might not have the soul. He needed to find his soul, and a place for him in Gotham that can allow him to do right things. Finding it in Gotham won't be easy, but expanding his view to the rest of the world will definitely give him some answers.

This thought does not come without a long process of thinking, and keeping check of his mental stability. The tombs of two of the most respected peoples in Gotham were lying next to the Wayne Mansion. Bruce gave them a visit, almost every time since their death. He really missed them. They were his only way of finding happiness, and they are now nothing more than just bones and rocks.

"Mom, Dad." He stood up to their graves. "I think this might be my last visit this year." He put the bouquet of flowers on each of them. Without having anything else to say, he looked down towards each of them, thinking that . "I'm sorry."

And he just left.

He turned his head around, but he remembered about something. He looked back towards the bouquets of flowers, and took some of them. He didn't really know what he's going to do with it, but the thought that crossed his head a few minutes ago managed to make him decide.

A visit to another grave is pretty much optional, but it is necessary to make him to be the person that he wanted to be. There, he could only look for. After asking around for a bit, he finally came into the grave. It was the grave of a man that has shaped Bruce into something that he wasn't supposed to be in the past 10 years: A brooding loner, filled with depression and anger, and is trying to cover all of those up by living like most teenagers would.

The grave itself looked significantly cheaper than the Wayne's family. That was mostly because this guy was just a nobody. He wasn't a significant person to anyone else, but he was a huge part of Bruce's life. He came out of the blue, and in just those few seconds, Bruce's life had changed forever.

Someone else had been staying there, and no wonder if it was someone that he knew. Carol Brown can be seen putting a flower right at the top of the grave. She wasn't wearing any special attires, but her expression was definitely anything more than special. Bruce couldn't really look up for a good reason why Stephanie had been visiting him except if her mother had told her so. Her presence came off as a surprise, but Bruce never really cared for that.

She noticed him walking in and personally giving him some space for him to stand up and crouch down. Bruce put the flowers on the top, giving his respects, and standing back up to continue whatever he wants to do next. Carol must have wondered why did he come here in the first place, and that's exactly the kind of question that she asked later.

"You know, there aren't a lot of good reasons why you should be here." She began. "I'm actually even surprised to see you here, let alone giving him flowers."

"It was nothing." Bruce replied. "I forgive him."

"Why?" Carol shrugged.

Bruce closed his eyes. He either wanted to think for a good reason, or just wanted to be more dramatic. Either way, it works. "Because he was just a victim, the same as everyone else in Gotham, like you, your family, and now me."

Carol was stunned. She widened her eyes in the revelation, but then slowly smile towards what Bruce just said about him and the rest of the peoples in Gotham.

Bruce left, but Carol gave him one final question. "Where are you going?"

Bruce stopped walking. He smiled, looking back at her.

"Somewhere."

#END#

AU: I have already twelve chapters on the go. The reason for that is because I might make some change on the previous chater that I thought was crucial to make it have more sense. I will upload a chapter every two weeks. I don't really have lots of free time or even ideas to implement on this fiction, but I'll try to make it interesting.

Next Chapter: Origins of two most famous sidekicks of all time.


	3. S01C03

Chapter 3

Just a few minutes and The Flying Graysons are already back on action. The circus always had spectacular stunts, and the Graysons are no exception. They are always the number one choice of circus entertainment. The circus put them all in the end. They love to see the audience sweating, hungry for just the sight of those dark blue skin-tight outfits that the Graysons love to

wear. As soon as they hit the stage, the audience could only stand still and gaze upon the amazing Graysons as they jump and fly higher than the sky.

They always loved their animalistic motives. Their outfits had an abstract eagle motive on it. The wings stretched out so far into their hands. They may not really have wings, but they are called the Flying Graysons and they can jump pretty high and control the air like it is nothing. They also move swiftly between many different platforms. Either flat wooden trapezes or even just a simple and tiny rope that can carry their weight, no difference. They will move from one place after another and they won't stop for about five seconds, like cats or monkeys or any hyperactive animals.

The Grayson moved in the air like there is almost nothing stopping them. No boundaries of gravity can stop the awesomeness that was the Grayson. No amount of gravity pull can stop the magnificent Flying Grayson. The gravity actually didn't decide to pull them down. It could only move them around so much to create stunning visuals in the eye. Rolls, somersaults, backflips, you name it and the Graysons perform it. To keep their performance varied, they always have surprises in their head. Most of them worked amazingly and it rocked the audience into their cores.

The year is 2005. The Graysons were very famous in the early 2000s. Thanks to several of their performance including many in Gotham City, they are considered to be one of the best circus performers that had ever performed around the world. The Graysons's biggest achievement is that they managed to spread their performance almost through the entire world. They are still famous and still working even to this day. In fact, they just reached their peak of popularity in 2004, and it continued all the way year later.

The Graysons did their flips, tricks, and all kinds of ridiculous things just to entertain the audience. They did it with actual passion and efforts. That is what makes them special. They have their own unique style and presentation. They took risk combining many elements together. They performed every month. So they had time to actually think and plan some new tricks to entertain. Preparation is everything and the Graysons got a lot of time to.

As the Graysons left the stage into a very epic and thrilling conclusion, the audiences always hungry for more. They clapped, cheered, whistled, but sadly, it's over for this month. The Graysons showed them a spectacular performance that only lasted for a couple of minutes. That's the thing about the Graysons. They have the ability to both keep the show short and satisfying while also keeping the audience to keep coming back for more. Peoples have no idea how. That's just a part of their clever magic tricks.

The Drakes were a big fan of the Graysons, not a big surprise especially his father Mr. Jack Drake is a friend of Mr. Grayson. Their son, Tim Drake, is one really big fan. Seeing them perform just a few minutes is just chilling to watch not only because of childhood nostalgia, but also because it is just so beautiful to see them fly. As Tim said in the past, it's like they merged together with the wind. They worked together flawlessly. Tim Drake is just acting like most rich kids do. They will love everything they see and ignore everything that they thought sucked. Thankfully the Graysons did not suck. It is one of the best stunts that Tim had ever seen. It is an honor for him to actually see him on the stage for the first time.

Mr. Drake already notified the Graysons to 'surprise him' since their son had a chance to visit them, and by god they were surprised. Not only it was one of their best, but they have managed to create one amazing experience for their son. Tim is dazzled, bewildered, and shocked to see that they have performed something not like anything else before. It was a huge surprise and thank the lord for the Graysons. They made one hell of a history.

The Drakes are rich family coming from a rich company. There is no way they wouldn't support the Grayson's business either by financial or mental support. Either of which helps a lot. They are still great friends to this day.

There's always a time for more chit-chat with the Graysons, but his son Tim Drake has another idea.

"Can I take pictures with them?" He asked his father.

"Not just take pictures, Tim." His father smiled. "Maybe they will show up some tricks just for you. Isn't that right, Grayson?"

The Graysons nodded and smiled back. Their son, Dick Grayson, which is the show's most spectacular member, had another thing in mind. "Of course, Mr. Drake, but I'd rather take pictures first when there's a chance." He took that opportunity well.

"Okay, son." Mr. Drake took his smartphone, Tim lined up with the Graysons, and he simply cannot took a straight picture. He was honestly jumping and cannot stay shut. He didn't blame him. That is how most peoples will act if they see their favorite peoples. It is like meeting a cartoon character you loved from a kid, except this one is alive. It is something that he didn't even think possible to happen. Not only witnessing one of the best performance in his life, but he also had the chance to meet with his childhood icons. Breathtaking simply does not define that.

Dick Grayson has already learned how to backflip and jumping in heights even adult normal human beings incapable of, and he's 10 right now. He couldn't imagine how high could he jump when he's 10, or even when he is an adult for that matter. He is already able to balance himself up into the beams, triple somersaults, and many degrees of spins. To see and take pictures with one of his biggest fans is an honor to him the same way it is an honor for Tim.

"Why don't you two just play around the stage while we have chit chat?" Mrs. Grayson said to the two young boys. While Tim was enthusiastic on doing so, Dick was a bit slightly off. He couldn't really describe the reason, but perhaps that is just his feeling.

Obviously as a natural fan of the Graysons, Tim Drake is incapable of handling his patient. So he decided that it would be best just to keep saying "Come on! Come on!"

Dick smiled very happily. Of course, he has the honor to show his one loyal fan his techniques. "You're up for it?" He said to him.

"YES!" He shouted with spirits, and that was a music to Dick's ears.

Dick brought him into the stage. Along the way, they actually had some nice conversation. It's great talking to a loyal fan. It all started with Tim Drake completely not believing the fact that he just met the family he wanted to meet all his time "I can't believe it! I took pictures with the Graysons! My friends are going to be jealous of me!"

"I can't imagine to see the look of their face after they found out." Dick shrugged.

"How did you do all those stunts?" He asked one obvious question that has been hanging through a lot of people's head when watching the Grayson. "You had those awesome triple somersaults and it was so cool and wow and… I want to do it!"

"Well, it took some serious hard practice. That's for sure." Dick chose to be direct to him. Otherwise, it would be a lie. "Well, I didn't live in the cities when I was practicing."

"Where did you live?"

"The forest and the village." He answered. "Well, it's a long story. I'll tell you once we get to the stage. Deal?"

"DEAL!" Tim simply said.

Within minutes, the two finally arrived on the stage. It was pretty empty since the show, and pretty messy too. The litters scattered around the public's seat is definitely not helping the atmosphere. That is the point where Dick started his conversation.

"I used to live in the village somewhere in Brazil." Dick began. "We were in the most remote place away from civilization. Our money is not enough to go with the city. So Dad decided that it might be best for us to play with the circus. With dad, I used to hunt for food and sell them to the market to make some money. I also learned a lot of things in the forest including how to survive there. It was pretty fun actually."

Dick told it as if he were in some sort of a standup, continuously wandering around the stage. The stage is totally his place anyway.

"Did you see any monkeys?" Tim asked that out of nowhere.

"Of course." He said. "But back then, they are not good for foods. Right now, they are an important part of my life."

"You said that you took the monkeys as an inspiration for the stunts." Tim sat on the stage floor and crossed his leg. He was noticeably cheerful on his tones. Honestly, what could go wrong with someone like him?

"Yes." Dick nodded. "Because the stunts are important for this show, I took some inspiration from the movement of the monkeys. They always move freely and almost never fall from their trees. It is like there is a bond between the two. The same way with us and the trapeze. My dad learned so much from them, and he taught me everything he knew."

"Ooh..." Tim's eyes widened. "How can you do all of those stunt works?"

"My dad is already a circus performer before I was even born." Dick revealed. "Besides, Brazil is an amazing place. Dancing is even considered a fighting style. Ever heard of Capoeira? Yeah, my mom is an expert on that. My dad isn't so much. He and his bones were way too old to learn something like that, but he taught me Karate, so I got that going for me."

"You learned Karate and Capoeira?"

"Yup. Well, not so much Capoeira. I'm just like my dad. I'm kind of suck at it." As Dick said those words, Tim put up slightly curious eyebrows. "If you're going to be a circus performer, it would be nice if you know the moves and how to do it properly, and speaking of moves, let's see what you got."

Tim stood up from his seat immediately afterwards, and then, he did something that Dick didn't expect a 9 year old fan of him would do: Backflip, and the backflip is almost a perfect one at that. He landed flawlessly with his head on the top. His landing steps are correct, and most importantly his jump is high enough for him to flip once.

"Awesome, huh?" Tim said. "I can do this as well."

He then did a side roll to the left. Like a wheel, his left hand touched the ground first, continued with his right hand, and then the rest of his feet before going back to a standing position. It was flawlessly executed, but then again, it was the easiest move that perhaps anyone can do.

"Well, I suppose the lesson is over for today." Dick honestly had no words. He could only smile for those moves. "You are already an expert on this."

Tim briefly laughed. "I'm not. It's just something that I do in a gym that my dad had back in Gotham. It was pretty big!" He gestured, putting two of his hands wide open. "It had this big boxing ring in the middle and tons of mattress so that I would land safely. I did backflip too many times. Mom and dad always worry about me."

Dick grinned. "Can't imagine why."

"Have you ever got injured?" Tim asked.

"Back then, yeah." Dick shrugged off. Perhaps injuries aren't really a thing that he was worrying about. "Broken knees, broken legs, arms, and falling incorrectly can lead you to some serious injuries. My mom asked dad to stop letting me to do that, but he said that since I'm a kid, I recover pretty quickly. Even monkeys fall from their trees once in a while."

"I used to hate being called one back then." Tim said those out of nowhere. It was amusing to hear. "They do stupid things and they looked real stupid, but then I began to love them every day. Monkeys can climb up trees without any problems. They can jump really high. They can run very fast. They can climb over things easily. While my friends can't even climb up the back of my house's fence."

The unimaginable truth in every sense of the word caused Dick to have a seriously amusing giggle. He did took the monkey concept seriously like it was a part of him, and it is supposed to be like that. He used monkeys as an inspiration for his stunts, and his own fan began to adore monkeys the same way he did. Perhaps his influence and the peoples he influenced have bigger connections than he thought.

Not to completely insult him at all, but Tim is actually kind of like a monkey. He is pretty hyper-active in terms of movements. He talks a lot. He backflips and it is really good at that, and he is almost half-bald. If that's not giving away a lot of things, he didn't know what is.

"Well," Dick clapped once to interrupt. "I don't think you're going to need much of a learning, but I'll show you some tricks anyway. Should we begin?"

Times have passed and Tim Drake is one hell of a fast learner. Most of the tricks that took about hours for Dick to master only took him like a few minutes. He taught him lots of things, but none of the things that took him about months to master like the 720 degree somersault or the quadruple somersault, a trick which the only peoples who were able to do were the Graysons. He was amazed that Tim could made it up to 360 degree somersault. Even adults struggle to get through that far.

But stunts training aside, the Graysons had other issues to deal with, most of which Dick is aware of, but didn't want to tell Tim due to the depressing nature of it. One of which being that the circus is now owned by Tony Zucco. Zucco is a close relative of the previous owner, and a much better one named Jack Haley, and they absolutely wished that Haley didn't die just to give this man the absolute power.

Zucco is one hell of a real menace, always troublesome and always the kind of guy you don't want to disappoint with. Thankfully he is only pissed off at guys who didn't do any better. The Circus are doing great especially in South America which is where they are performing currently. It is a big hit down there more so than in North America. So it's easier to get some money there.

The Drake has something else in mind though. Jack Drake is talking about the proposition while the wives talk about something else in the stage. These two were big friends. Back in the war, they had lots of things going on for them, and this is one of the only chances that they can finally talk with peace.

"It's the company's anniversary. I think you'd perform amazing there." Mr. Drake started his offer, which somehow caused Grayson to feel kind of worried. "I can provide you the stage and the set. I can pay for the decorations and the properties. I'll pay everything, and of course your family as well."

"No, it's not that simple, Jack." Mr. Grayson replied. "This thing we're doing… it's not exactly independent, and the money is not the problem. It was my employer."

"Employer, you mean Haley?" Jack pointed out the kind, generous owner of the Flying Circus. Considering how he treated the other circus performers not in the nicest of manners, he could understand the circumstances.

"No, not him. The other one." Mr. Grayson fixed his statement. "The other employer... well... Let's just say that he has done enough to make us worry for our own safety."

"Oh Jesus Christ." Mr. Drake is shocked of the revelation. "You know, you can't just hang around on these crooks. You have to get out of here somehow."

"I made an offer with him that I can't escape from." Mr. Grayson said. "I give my skills and the money I got, he gives my life and the safety of my family, and so far, we have been going well. If you rent us, he might be worried that I'll tell anyone."

"What are you talking about?"

"The only reason why I'm still alive is because I made money on this service and it is benefiting him greatly." Grayson revealed. "I should've died knowing that I know his criminal activities. He knew that I have a family and he…" Grayson approached him closer, muffling his voice. "… he will kill us if I spill the beans."

Jack is once again, shocked upon the revelation.

"So I made him an offer." Grayson continued. "I play for him, I make money for him, and just by then, I'm able to get out. My family is safe and I'm performing this for my life, and it is one thing that is at stake. If it's out, I'm out, my wife is out, and Dick is out."

Jack paused for a moment. He then nodded and tapped his friend's shoulder in a sign of agreement. "Alright, buddy." He simply said to his friend. "I won't hire you, but seriously, you have to deal with this stuff."

Grayson's face is worried, but relieved that Jack actually didn't take this matter further. Grayson was naturally paranoid, but this time it's a serious business. It's his life that is at cost and the life of his beloved wife and son.

Tony Zucco's representative is named Ernest. He is this really tall and bald man that had beard all over his mouth and chin. It was provocative at best. All he wanted is just a summary of the Grayson's performance back at the stage, but to be perfectly honest, the Graysons already knew that he is going to be disappointed either way. Ernest had another idea in the matter. He put the Graysons on the line as he reviewed the ratings.

"You are performing well tonight, Graysons." He said. Dick always hated his voice. That deep and dark tone of his couldn't signify more that he is the bad guy of the whole ordeal. Even when he is complimenting, he found out how to deliver those words in the most despicable of ways. "But unfortunately the boss has another idea on hand."

"What other idea?" Mr. Grayson asked him.

A simple head twitch and his muscular men stormed towards Dick. "Follow me." He said to him. Dick had no choice but to obey his words. Fighting it would be very stupid. These guys got guns and all he got is his pre-teen muscles that are just not good enough against these folks.

"Don't worry, son. We'll be safe." His father said to him.

Obviously they won't be safe. There will be trouble. Dick already put everything on his head. He has already pictured the worst case scenario. If this is that time, he at least need to act well. He had already expressed lots of doubts in his face, and his father noticed it. The worst case scenario is going to happen right now, and by that time, Dick is ready to face the consequences.

Dick couldn't really hear what the parents are talking with Ernest. He decided to look away from the tent the three were in and just follow the men to wherever they are leading him to.

But then, a simple sound, just one simple sound, signifies everything.

A gunshot.

The sound of his mother screaming can already be heard. From that moment on, he already knew that there is nothing more to argue. He stormed right into the building just moments where he could see the silhouette of her mother falling down due to the shot in the body.

Two gunshots.

No, three. One of the two thugs who brought Dick around pointed a pistol towards Dick. Knowing that he is going to shoot, the other thug pushed his hand away, leaving a missed shot away from the kid.

"What the hell, man!" He said. "You're going to shoot a kid!"

The thug put away his gun and then began to run towards the kid, which is exactly the thing that they should've done in the first place. Dick managed to reach the room. Earnest was the gun holder, and his parents were already on the ground, shot dead.

While Dick slowly walked towards the corpse of his two dead parents, Ernest put the gun away from him. Perhaps he wanted to see his reaction, but he is met in a surprising turn of event. Dick walked and crouched between both of them. With both of their hands already on his, he hold it tight and began to shed a tear, but no sobbing or even crying is heard. Just tears coming out of him.

He then closed their eyes in a respectful manner and said his farewell. "Goodbye, Mom. Goodbye Dad." Through Earnest's eyes, he was expressionless. Like before, he showed only tears, but no cries or sobs. It was like he already knew something like this is coming. Earnest's expression can't be really summed up well. Was he curious or confused?

"So what are you going to do with me now?" Dick asked, facing against him while still crouching between his beloved family. That is literally the most logical question that should be asked. Dick Grayson was just a ten year old kid. He had nothing in his life. He might as well as die with them right now.

"Zucco ordered us not to kill you." He said. "He don't kill kids. He didn't pay us to kill kids, and I'm not going to do it."

And that's all there is. The thugs just left. The Flying Grayson have shown their best performance for today, and sadly it has to be their last. Dick didn't know what else to think of that time. There was nothing but two corpse of the most important peoples in his life, lying on the ground, lifeless. In a form of honor, Dick closed their eyes. All he wanted for them is to rest in peace.

##

Dick couldn't sleep. He couldn't stop thinking about that night. His eyes kept stuck opening, unable to close and rethink. The moment he closed his eyes and slowly bring himself into the unpredictable world of the dream realm, their face always popped up in his mind. He couldn't stand the look of disappointment that was carved on their face looking at their son who could nothing more than just stand there and do nothing.

He wished that he could've just went back and pulled them away. He wished that he was the one who died instead. The world of criminals were just a wild card in the twisted part of this world. It was like an explosion. Once one person jump into one, others will soon follow, even if they didn't want to be. Dick was a part of the twisted realms of criminality, the unpredictable, cruel, and unfair world of criminality.

He was on his tent where he usually slept. The moon wasn't enough to shine the darkness inside the tent. All he can do was just to lay down the bed, thinking of that over and over again like there was no other time not to think about it. Her mother once told him that the worst possible thing that could happen to him will open a gate to a greater change. He wanted to believe it. He wanted to change, but he couldn't, at least not now.

The only family he had was the good old Haley, the real owner and should've been the only owner of the circus. He always got mad if the circus performers came in late. He'll always rant if someone didn't clean up Kimba's cage, but behind all of that ranting, there was a good, gentle and caring heart. He will always find a light among the darkness. He'll always find a solution. One of the solutions being that the Graysons could not perform anymore, and that Dick needed space.

"Richard," He called from the outside. Dick was still laying down with his eyes open. "I know you can't sleep. I certainly can't, not after all of that."

Haley sat right on his bed. He was sitting near his feet, and Dick could already feel the sweats running down his clothes. Haley couldn't stop to get the circus running again. Dick would've given the entire world for all the things he has done to his family. He gave just enough sparkle of life to make him to have that spirit again, but could it ever be gained at these kinds of times?

Dick woke up as well, sitting right next to him. He glanced down, feeling rather depressed. Behind those rants that he did right on his face, all he could see was the face of genuine care. Haley circled his arm towards Dick's shoulder. He pressed his arm tight and pulled him real close. Dick rested his head on his shoulder and hugged him tight.

And that's where he lost it.

All of the cries that were kept silent when he looked at the dead bodies of his parents were now unleashed. He shrieked down, crying right at his arms in the loudest possible voice he could think of. The only thing that Haley could do is to hug him back and rest on his head, comforting him as best as he could. It was depressing, and he couldn't resist but to cry with him as well.

"Why?" Dick asked. His voice distorted by his cries. "Why did this happen to me?"

Haley couldn't say any more words. "It's just bad luck. There's nothing we can do to stop it. I'm so sorry, Richard."

Dick didn't do anything but sob. He just unleashed all of that grieve, mourned as loud as he could, and hugged Haley like he was the last person that he ever had.

"Everyone is waiting for you at the memorial." Haley mentioned.

"I'm going."

Dick isolated himself from the rest of the circus performers to find some comfort or peace. He could say that he found neither. The rest of the members of the circus tried their best to give the most proper burial for the Grayson. Their skills, performance, and dedication will never be forgotten in the history of Haley Circus.

They all gathered together with Dick and Haley in front of every circus performer who performed last night. It was tough times. They could only stare at the ground for a few seconds, mourning and crying, as Haley gave his speech.

"I once thought that tonight couldn't get any darker." Haley began. "Tonight, we lost two of our family. They are the most famous, the most respected, the kindest, and the bravest peoples I've ever met in my life. We are living in a world full of bad peoples. I'm glad that someone like John and Mary brought us all the hope to survive."

He sobbed, wiping his tears off his eyes before continuing. "They have contributed so many things to the circus. They have given so much to us, and yet we couldn't give them back. All I can do was just to say thanks, but to me, that wasn't enough. They deserved better. Rest in peace, John... Mary... You gave us the best of times. You gave the world the best of times. We will never forget you."

Dick shed a tear. He stepped forward, throwing dirt back at the memorial they made. The grave itself was just two crosses, both were props that John and Mary used to wear during the show. Dick threw dirt at both of them. The moment he closed his eyes, tears begin to crawl on his cheeks. Dick wiped them out, trying as hard as possible to keep things rational while he began his words.

"I..." Dick began. "That night... I wasn't alive. Inside, I feel like I died with them." Dick turned around towards Haley and the rest of the circus performers. "And that's what you should think of me right now."

"What do you mean?" Haley asked.

"I can't stay here, not anymore." Dick shook his head. "I'm all alone right now, and I should be thinking of how to live this myself."

"You're not alone, Richard." Haley crouched, grabbing his shoulders and trying his best to comfort the Boy Wonder. "You're with us... all of us."

Dick turned his head away from him. "My dad once said that one day, I'm going to be alone in this world, and one day, I'm going to have to be alone. I think this is the time."

"Richard..."

"If I stay here, I'm just going to be a liability." He said. "I've thought about this as long as I could. I tried not to remember everything that happened that night, and I think this is what I should do, and this is what I should've done."

"Richard Grayson, you are 10 years old." Haley remarked.

"That doesn't mean that I can't!" Dick shouted. "My parents taught me how to live alone for the rest of my life. They taught me how to survive. They taught me everything I know up to this day. This is the best time for me to show it."

"You don't have to."

"There is no reason for me to live here anymore." Dick said. "I'm sorry. The Grayson is one. If a part of it is lost, everything is lost. I can't stay here for too long. I have to go."

Haley closed his eyes, never thinking that Dick could be this horribly selfish, but he found truth in those words somehow. He only had seconds to thought about this, and as he opened his eyes, he just came in a conclusion. "Then do what you must."

"Haley!"

"He is right." Haley turned around to one of the performers. "He can't stay here for long. He has to grow up. Keeping him here will only hurt him, and we can't do anything about it until we leave him alone. After all of this, he needed to find his place." Haley stood up, facing the entire circus performers. "I've been through so many tough decisions after another, but this one for me was the toughest. Dick, we never considered you expendable, but you're right. That night, you died with your parents, and that's how we are all going to remember it. Understand?"

The rest of the members could only stare down and grieve.

"Thank you, Haley." Dick said to him. "I don't know when, but I promise you I'll be back."

Haley gave a bitter smile before leaving Richard to go out and find his own fate. There is a reason why he is called the Boy Wonder, and now, looks like he's about to prove it.

##

"Are you sure that we're going into the right place, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked, being the always kind butler that he was all this time. They were heading god knows where, and Alfred deserved to clarify that the locations the old billionaire gave to him was the right one after all.

"I already gave you the landing coordinates." Bruce said, sitting comfortably in his sofa that was placed near the window for comfort purposes. "I think that is enough."

"But we're landing right now looked like an ocean from out of nowhere!" He said the extremely obvious. "I want you to be bloody aware that if you're bringing us into somewhere that we're not supposed to be..."

"Relax, Alfred." Bruce kept that grin on his face, not feeling afraid even to a single bit. "There are worse places that I have went through. You're lucky that I brought you here."

"I can't imagine what kind of trouble you've been through, Master Wayne." He gave his concerns, which is something that Bruce Wayne thought that he didn't need. "To think that you have changed was only an understatement. The last time I saw you, you're breaking your own palms trying to break a brick wall with your hand, and right now you did that easily with your head!"

"Alfred," Bruce interrupted. Right now, he wasn't so optimistic like before. He frowned and continued his words. "I think I can't really talk about this until I found the person I'm looking for."

"And who is this person?"

Bruce grinned, although he kept his sharp eyes towards Alfred. "Someone who got back from the dead."

Alfred chose to shook his head in disbelief on those words, and Bruce honestly could see why he had that reaction. What Bruce Wayne had experienced in the past few decades was rather insane, and Alfred had never chosen how to let him grow.

The plane finally landed. Bruce had to admit. Being in the middle of the sea isn't exactly the kind of place that you would call somewhere. Alfred honestly didn't know what to expect from the person who has 'gotten back from the dead'. When Bruce uttered those words, he thought he was kidding, but he couldn't even express how expressionless his face had gotten the moment he heard the name, or even look at the person.

The year is 2015. Dick Grayson certainly didn't have the best of times through the five years of his mysterious disappearance. He had travelled through many different places around the world, and yet he still couldn't find the most perfect places to stay. He wasn't even sure if he should be proud of it or should be saddened of it.

He used to have some plans to return to the godforsaken city that was Gotham. He could seek some help there. After all, the Wayne family was the first peoples who sponsored him. It was in 1997, a year before the Wayne Family had passed. That was one of the Grayson's early performances. Except this time Dick still had to sleep in bed because he is two at the time. The Grayson wasn't so popular in 1997, but perhaps it was the magic of Wayne Sponsorship that caught them popular. Bruce wasn't very sure about it either.

After about ten years of a lot of things that he simply couldn't forget, Dick finally had a legitimate way of going back home. Gotham City is his first ticket, and all of that thanks to Bruce Wayne for being so nice and playful for the rest of his year. Even after the death of their parents, Dick had a history with Bruce. He was a comrade, a mentor figure, and a friend that could understand him. Throughout his spiritual journey, he trained with him to become something better than just a man.

The place he's in is actually an island not recorded in the maps somewhere in China called Tiantang. This is where Dick had spent the rest of his life on, and this is where Bruce gave him the trials to finish his training.

"Tiantang is one of his favorite island to travel to." Bruce gave his observations on the place. "It contained many mysteries inside, a lot of which he was interested to uncover. He was always the curious kind of guy, and you'll know why the moment you meet him."

"Should I come with you?" Alfred asked.

"You don't have to." Bruce revealed. "I've been here too many times. Trust me, I got this."

Bruce travelled on foot after the plane landed on water. After getting through the edge of the white sand, he ventured inside the depth of the green forests. In just a few minutes, the sight of the beautiful beach is now gone. The atmosphere of the forest just sank into him. This was one of his home for the expedition. It was a joy to finally feel something like this in years.

"HEY, BRUCE!"

He wasn't even deep enough, and out of nowhere, the Boy Wonder finally popped up, introducing himself with his trademark quadruple somersault. Dick spun swiftly. The wind flowing with him. It was a flawless move executed by the master of acrobatics himself. Dick Grayson might not be the best martial artist in the world, but he is damn good when combined with his acrobatics and his unparalleled agility.

He always had that charming looking face. That kind of smile, it was like he was destined to be some sort of a fairy-tale prince waiting for a princess. Perhaps some of Bruce Wayne's billionaire attitude got infected on his nerves.

"If you're going to sneak up behind me, jumping and flipping like that won't work." Bruce remarked.

"I'm not trying to kill you, Bruce." Dick replied. "And by the way..."

Dick threw something at him. It was a folded paper, rusty but still surprisingly readable. Bruce unfolded the paper to reveal a drawing of a map, but it wasn't the most professional of maps. It was amateur with black tints and apparently a not so correct recreation of the island.

"So what did you find there?" Bruce was talking about the X mark on the map, which from the drawings looked like some sort of a cave.

"Nothing but ruins." Dick answered. "But that's not the best part. The best part is that it was the ruins of a diamond mine, and I found a crap ton of those inside. I'm sorry Bruce, but I'm not taking any of them. It was the island's, and it better be kept that way."

"The diamonds don't matter." Bruce revealed. "What matters is that you find it, and as a reward, I get you back to Gotham."

"What, going back to that dirty miserable city?" Dick sighed. "I suppose it's inevitable. I should definitely go back to civilization, am I?"

"Of course, caveman." Bruce grinned on his reaction. "Honestly, the last thing that I wanted from you is not enjoying reality for once, but before we could go back to Gotham, I think it's much better for us to get you a much better present than a bunch of diamonds."

"Like what?"

"We'll talk about it in the jet."

##

The Bruce Wayne that Alfred knew before was not the Bruce Wayne he had right now. He was wiser and more confident. The old Bruce Wayne wouldn't pick up decisions that the new Bruce Wayne just made. The old Bruce Wayne wouldn't redecorate the mansion or crush tons of bricks using his head. Perhaps that spiritual journey had changed him to be someone else. Perhaps he is now the man that his parents wanted him to be.

Somewhere inside, there is still that boy who needed help. There is still that boy who needed the guidance of the old man. Alfred wasn't prepared to take care of young Master Wayne by himself, but whatever kind of decision that he made, it will always for the best of him.

Master Bruce just came from his journey six months ago. It was at the most desperate of times in Gotham City. There had been too many deaths coming from the mobs. There had been too many casualties coming from the innocent citizens. It seems that after Bruce departed for his journey on finding his true self, all hope of Gotham is lost, but now he is back after seven years of disappearance. He definitely wanted to fix things up. Alfred couldn't agree more with his decisions, but some of them are very questionable to say the least.

One of the decisions that he made was just coming into this island. God knows what made him to come into this conclusion. It's 2015, and his master certainly picked the most interesting of places to train himself. Alfred thought the island looked peaceful enough, but the fact that it wasn't drawn on the map is really unsettling.

The young master is now outside with a young man, the guy he claimed to have come back from the dead. Alfred prepared his greetings and opened the personal jet's doors. The door opened. The mini stairs extended from one of its compartments, enough for Bruce Wayne and his guest to get up.

"Master Bruce." Alfred greeted, putting his hands on the back. "I was hoping that you're not having any problems on your trip."

"I'm fine, Alfred." Bruce took the stairs up with the young man following him from behind.

"Do you mind if you actually introduce your new friend here?" Alfred asked.

Bruce glanced at Dick with an awkwardly confused face. "Uh... I think it might be better if we talk about this inside..."

"Richard Grayson, or Dick Grayson if you prefer that." Dick extended his hand towards Alfred, interrupting everything that Bruce said. "It's good to see you, Alfred."

There was only shock and confusion drawn beyond the surface of his wrinkled, old face. Even if Alfred wasn't taking care of Dick Grayson at the time, he still remembered all of his performances on stage and how he became one of the biggest impacts in the entertainment industry. The news of the Grayson's death managed to shock the old man, but it is ten times more shocking to see one of them is actually still alive.

"Sorry if I shocked you out of existence." Richard gave his comments. "It's okay. You're not the first one who made that face."

Alfred snapped out of the bewilderment of his existence and began keeping his attitude right. "Forgive me, Master Richard. My goodness. Please do come in! It must have been very cold for you."

"I've been cold too many times." Even on that depressing note, he still had that witty kind of tone that not a lot of peoples would have. "The past ten years were not too happy to say the least. Bruce had been taking care of me ever since. I can't thank him enough."

Alfred looked at Bruce with condescending eyes. He would've never thought his master would be someone else's ward for the time being. Judging from when Dick Grayson was born, he assumed that he was around his early 20s. Bruce had been missing for seven years and two years after that, the Grayson got killed. So it actually took five years for him to raise Dick into someone like him.

To be perfectly honest, the two had a lot of similar traits, almost if they were brothers or something. The charming smile, the suave attitude, always looking good despite the environment not being so friendly to his face, it's all there.

"Wow."

Dick was astonished the moment he stepped in the Wayne jet. The cold but somewhat fresh environment mixed with elegant interiors and expensive furnitures to groom the place up. There were actual comfortable sofas and chairs. He once asked how the hell did they got the furnitures to stick in planes, but he didn't care.

"Please, sit down Richard." Bruce waved his hand towards the most comfortable of sofas. "Make yourselves at home."

Dick just let himself fall into the sofa. Alfred had been in too many wars to know the feeling of comfort that a sofa could provide after so many horrors.

"I was wondering what happens in your ten years of disappearance, Master Richard." Alfred was standing with his hands on his back. He had all the rights to know what's going on and he's definitely going to take that chance.

"Actually there wasn't much." Dick said. "Bruce picked me up when I was like eleven or twelve. I forgot. He taught me how to survive. He put me on the test. So he dumped me there."

"My Word!" Alfred exclaimed. He just couldn't cope of what Master Wayne had to do to get him. "You just dumped him off the island and called it a day? What were you..."

"Hey, don't blame me." Bruce put both his hands in front of him before lifting it towards him. "He asked for it."

Alfred thought Bruce Wayne was lying. He wasn't. Dick actually grinning like he was guilty to all of this, and he was. "Okay. Yes, I did."

"As for me," Bruce slurped some of his coffee. "I was training in China with the League of Assassins, and that wasn't a joke. They mean business. The League of Assassins were able to turn anyone into a warrior in just six months. Imagine what they can do for me in about two years, let alone ten."

"What are you now, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked.

Bruce did not respond immediately. He instead took another gulp of his hot coffee and finally made his reply. "I am... a billionaire."

The two looked at him with a confused glare.

"I mean I still am, right?"

#END#

A/N: There are some things that I change from the original storyline just in case if actual Batman fans coming here a little bit confused with the whole thing. Like I said before, I try to make this comic more accessible to new readers and also try not to confuse the old readers as well. Just in case if you're confused, here are some of the changes just in case you're still lost. If not, then you can skip this.

- No, Bruce Wayne is NOT the Batman when Dick last performed.

- This story is AU and doesn't follow any continuity. The premise of this Fanfic is to take old story elements to create an entirely new story.

- In the original story, Batman adopted Dick Grayson and suddenly made him into Robin after he found out about the Batcave. IMO, peoples don't just adopt orphans after their parents were murdered. I think that doesn't make any sense. This is why I hate the All Star Batman and Robin comics. I want to make the characters more real in this story, and having a billionaire suddenly adopting orphans is not one of them.

- Yes, Tim Drake is a fan of the Flying Grayson, but his age gap compared to Dick Grayson was around 5-6 years. In here, I made Tim Drake to be only a year younger than Dick, which means when they meet they actually have more interaction and character moments. And yes, they do take photo in the comics. The only difference is the age.

- You can argue that killing the parents by sabotaging the trapeze might be more covert like in the original story, but I just don't like that. To me, it makes their deaths more tragic but Dick Grayson is still left hanging around and peoples are going to look for him. So I decided to kill them both just by guns and Dick faked his death so that peoples don't worry about him.

- Also, during writing this note, I just noticed a plot hole. Dick Grayson is one of the most famous icons in the world and yet he decided that it might be best to go out alone even though he has fans who are willing to help him on his way, you know, like the Drake Industries Tim Drake. This is a huge flaw on the story and I'll try my best to explain it in the latter chapters.

Next Chapter: How Tim Drake becomes the next Boy Wonder.


	4. S01C04

Chapter 4

Tim Drake was one of the school's most valuable assets. Not only he was a part of the High School MMA, but he was also one of the smartest students that Gotham High ever had. He graduated in High School when he was fifteen years old, which was one of the most stunning of achievements. It took him a while to finally get a hang of University, but in just four years, he is graduated.

Tim got his Bachelor's Degree in Business Management. He always wanted to become a normal, intelligent businessman. Thanks to his father's company, he got a chance to have some internship in there, anonymously though. Drake Industries were one of the most successful companies in Gotham City aside from Wayne Enterprise, whom Drake maintained its alliance for the most part, Kane Manufactures, KORD, and finally Queen Consolidated.

Drake, Kane, Kord, Queen, Wayne, Tim always thought funny about those company names. Ego much? Thank god Microsoft didn't name itself Gates Computers.

"Could this graduation ceremony become even more formal?" While wearing the graduation outfit, Tim asked to his loyal bodyguard, mentor, and friend Ted Grant, who just stood there with his hands crossed.

"It's alright." He said. "You looked fabulous with it."

"I'm not asking how I looked, Teddy." Tim realigned his bowtie.

"But you do spend a lot of time adjusting that bowtie of yours."

"I want to look cool when I'm dressing up."

"You already looked cool with it."

Ted Grant was a former MMA fighter. The Drake Industries was one of the sponsors for his cause. Although famous and legendary, his recent injuries made him to completely retire out of the MMA business and thus making him to be completely incapable of continuing his career in professional wrestling. He's a damn good fighter, though, and he had his own personal gym, but Tim wasn't so sure if he was going to make a comeback or not.

Once Tim is all set on the outfit, the two walked off the hallway. The Drake Cottage was certainly an odd name for a modern five story apartment, but it sounded catchy enough in the ears of both. During the wrestling days, this is where Ted got his apartment. Tim's room was at the very top floor full of a lot of things that could make even the richest of boys to be jealous with.

Tim's phone vibrated. The sooner he picked up the phone, the sooner he realized how much he should've picked it about a nanosecond earlier. The call came from someone very special to him. Receiving a call from someone like her is a priority. Without thinking anymore, he swiped the screen of his smartphone to accept the call. "Ariana."

"Hey, Timmy." Ariana called him with his rather childish surname. Despite her Russian heritage, her accent just faded away. "Do you think that my uncle will hate it when I use the new dress? He doesn't like... I mean... uncomfortable with expensive stuff especially if someone else bought it for me."

"Then don't. Seriously, is that the best clothes you got?" Tim just underestimated the fashion sense of the former mob's daughter. "No, let me rephrase that. Are you going to look hot using those?"

"Well, the only reason you bought me this dress is to make me look hot." Ariana sounded like she was still preparing for the graduation. He couldn't blame her. Being the daughter of a Russian mob who is now dead, her preparations are almost sporadic.

"How about this?" Tim opened the door to his limousine. He entered it while he still got his smartphone up his ears. "Wear anything you want, as long as it impresses me."

"You're doing that oversimplifying thing again." She said.

"The point is that I don't want the dress that you're wearing to the graduation to be equivalent to the dress you're wearing when you're on bed." Tim made his remark as he closed the car's doors off.

"But I wear pajamas on bed."

"With me, I mean."

"I'm still going to wear pajamas with you."

"Well you should, because I'm your pajamas."

The air pressure inside the car certainly made the sound more contained and therefore, more comprehensible. Whatever conversation they had, someone would have noticed. Teddy, who took the driver seat, was actually kind of shocked to hear someone like Tim to say that. He looked back at him with very curious and disturbed face, but Tim replied with a very smug-looking wink. Ted grinned, returning back to his original position.

Ariana paused, realizing his attempt on asking for a mating couple. "Is that the best you can do?"

"I'm not going to stop trying until you say yes." Tim shared his enthusiasm. "Okay, seriously now, get the best clothes you got and impress me. I'll promise that tonight is going to be the best graduation party ever, okay?"

"Okay, Tim." Ariana commented. "Love you."

"Love you too." He closed off his smartphone with the most romantic of closing words.

Tim got the graduation robe prepared for today. The limousine wasn't the longest one, but it is certainly one of the best. A lot of things were contained in it including beers, energy drinks, all those stuff. TV screens planted all over the place, built in Wi-Fi that Tim constructed himself, it all made things ten times more convenient in result.

Tim relaxed himself sitting in the backseat. His leg raised to the top of the other one and his hands crossed at the back of his head. "Any interesting news for today?"

"Bruce Wayne is coming back home." Ted said with that classy, New York accent he got. "He couldn't get to the graduation on time, but he'll come to the party with a surprise."

"Is that confirmed or just some rumor?"

"Confirmed." Ted stated.

"Well, make sure to put him on the guest list."

"Already did."

##

It didn't take long to finally get to the ceremony. Lots of students were already there to make sure that things aren't boring. The graduation was supposed to be for the peoples who got their Bachelor's Degree. Most peoples who do were around 20-23 years old. Tim was a year early, and that is one accomplishment he couldn't be more proud of.

The stage is open. The headmaster began his speech, and before they begin to announce who's going to get out of the school for good, the teacher actually had a special reward to give. Actually not just one, but two special rewards.

"We had our shares of miracles before," The School's Headmaster began his speech. "But we certainly did not expect the miracles of not only one, but two of the smartest, most accomplished students that this University ever had. These students accomplished the most out of any students in Gotham University. It was tough for us to decide. So we gave two awards this year."

Tim honestly could not believe that he got himself a competition. Who was this person? To be fair, he didn't expect competition coming from his age. There was another person who graduated with an Bachelor's Degree at a young age, and that person was someone by the name of Vicki Vale, the aspiring journalist who got nothing better to do than scrap through people's secrets. Like the Headmaster said, Gotham University had its shares of miracles, but not two happening in the same year.

"Please welcome the recipients of the Lifetime Award achievements to young Timothy Jackson Drake..."

Predictable, but satisfying to hear.

"... and Barbara Gordon Junior!"

There was the big surprise student, although her name was sort of predictable. Barbara Gordon, despite her origin being the daughter to one of the wisest, most respectable cops in known in Gotham City, is a pure computer engineering genius. Her logic and mathematics skills were unparalleled compared to any students even for Tim. If Tim understood a book of computers, she had an entire library worth of computer and engineering books stuck on her brain somehow.

Tim ran towards the podium. He was one of the most popular students in the University. So no wonder his presence got loudly cheered up. Most of the students wanted to just reach the hand to the popular kid, and he gladly reached them back. As he rose towards the podium, the headmaster and the teachers in general looked at him with pride. It was one of the proudest things to achieve and to reach on school.

But it wasn't really the proudest since he got himself a competition. The appearance of Barbara Gordon Jr. was slightly unsettling. She had one of the rarest hair colors in the history of human race (pure Auburn Red) and definitely one of the rarest pupil colors (dark Emerald Green). So not only he got himself a competition, but he also got himself an alien living among most human beings.

After receiving the lifetime achievement award, Tim got himself in the corner of attention by a lot of students, girls for the most part. The boys aren't really that interested with a smart, rich kid that can be the coolest kid in the school and yet still possess the same amount of intelligence as the most unpopular of kids, well except for his friends. This is something to be proud of and jealous of, but Barbara, despite not being one of the popular kids, managed to mentally took his mantle away.

Right now, Tim was outside, which was slightly more peaceful as he got all the attention he needed. Ted was carrying his trophy and all that stuff, and the beautiful girlfriend of his Ariana was right in front of him.

"Congratulations!"

Now there's a voice to the ears. Not only voice, but one hell of a look to the eyes. Ariana still use her normal robe. Although at this moment she could only reach her Associate's Degree. Another thing that is fair to mention is that Ariana is two years older than Tim, but she is a few centimeters shorter. The dress that she mentioned earlier was only for the graduation party that Tim Drake held at his cottage. Even if that's the case, she still looked beautiful as hell. Tim couldn't even describe it.

"Ariana!" Tim embraced her with a big hug, followed by a very short kiss. "Congratulations as well. You look beautiful."

"And you looked funny." Ariana gave her comments. Tim glanced at his bodyguard, who once gave comments that his clothes were perfectly functional. "Seriously, you should've kicked Barbara's ass."

"Yeah, I can't believe it myself." Tim stated. "We're just a year apart, and she got it in Computer Engineering, one was easy, and the other one was unreal."

"Calm down, Einstein." Ariana noticed his jealously of the situation. "I'm just being a good girlfriend. I want to make sure that you're not getting jealous of an 18 year old who got something out of tampering her Commodore."

"You're right." Tim stated. "I shouldn't be. I mean, I already got the best girl ever. So..."

"Wait, you're suggesting that she's going to be your future girlfriend?"

"What, No!" Tim denied that statement. "Honestly, the last thing I wanted is a girlfriend with the brain of Professor Langstrom. The only thing I wanted right now is a girl who cares for me, who looks out for me, who calls me every night before sleep, and beautiful in every way."

Tim grabbed the shoulder to his beautiful girlfriend, smiling at her with genuine passion. Ariana could only lie down on his arms, admiring the compliment that he just gave her. "Aww... Tim. Have you ever been sweeter?"

"Does being accidentally poured by a cup of sugar counts as sweeter?"

The two laughed. Ariana could only remember so much about that event. "God. I'm sorry. I should've been more careful tampering with the top counters."

"It's alright." Tim tapped her shoulder. "I've never been sweeter at least."

##

It's 12 in the afternoon. The ceremony had just ended, and Ariana had the courtesy of riding Tim's amazing limousine. Sometimes being the boyfriend of a rich family had its benefits.

"Oh I forgot to mention." Tim raised his eyebrows on that realization. "Bruce Wayne is coming back to Gotham."

"Bruce Wayne?" There was a disbelief on Ariana's face. "He's coming to Gotham? How did you know?"

"Alfred called in." Tim revealed. "Well, technically Alfred called Ted first and then he told me about it. I don't even have Alfred's number."

"Is he coming to be on the graduation party tonight?" Ariana asked.

"Of course." Tim remarked. "If not, then he wouldn't come with a surprise present."

"Surprise present?" Ariana exclaimed. "He disappeared for like ten years! Or was it nine? What was he doing?"

"I don't know." Tim shrugged. "But it's Bruce Wayne. He has been like a brother to me."

Tim's dialogue went surprisingly more depressing than last time. He was rather excited by the news of his old friend and/or brother coming back to Gotham. But there was sadness, regret, something that Ariana could feel from afar.

"Ever since his parents died, he visited me a lot, and I can't blame him." He continued. "He needed a friend, and I'm not the only one with him. He got friends, billionaire friends. Kate, Oliver, and then me. Honestly, when my dad is involved, all of those kindness to Bruce was just to... strengthen the partnership of Drake Industries and Wayne Enterprises."

"Somehow, I'm not surprised." Ariana exclaimed.

"At least Bruce has friends." Tim glanced down, looking rather depressed as his tone began to get quieter. "I'm glad that he got his edge back. I mean ten years without his parents... that's tough. I know how it feels. You know how it feels."

"Not really." Ariana said. "My dad was pretty much an asshole all his life. He killed so many peoples back then. And the only thing I worried about is how not to get involved in one of his family business, if he could call it that."

"Somehow, all of us were tied up to crime, no matter how good we've done." Tim said. He sighed. "But at the end of the day, he's still your dad."

"I don't love him anymore, and I shouldn't be." Ariana looked away. "I'd rather get as far as possible from his life or his business or his friends, honestly can you really relate to or even sympathize to someone like him?"

"Honestly, I could." Tim said, which surprised her. "He's living in Gotham City, one of the worst cities to live in, and whatever he's doing was probably just trying to stay alive. He did what he could to feed you, give you the best school, give you the best clothes, all those stuff. He did what's best, even though it wasn't always the cleanest option."

"I... I never thought of that." Ariana looked down. "But still, he committed crime. He killed people. I don't want him to do that. I want him to work honest. I don't care if it paid less than this drug smuggling or weapon trading or whatever kind of illegal market he's in. One clean pair of jeans is a thousand times worthy than a pile of dirty one, right?"

Tim raised his eyebrows. She actually had a point.

"I just want to be happy." She continued. "I honestly can't believe that I got all of that from my uncle. He's a better father than my dad ever will, and of course I got that from you as well."

Tim smiled at that thought alone. It was a genuine smile, rare for someone like him to have. "You're always the best." Tim grabbed her shoulder, putting him close so that she could lie down onto him. The thought was a bit too depressing to be talked about, but the last few lines she just said made him to kiss her forehead back.

"How about your mother?" He asked.

"I don't know my mom." She revealed. "My dad never told me about her. Chances are my mother is going to be one of those whores that he... and honestly, that's kind of scary." Ariana remembered that she might not be the one who got no mother. "How about you? You're still over it?"

God. Tim really wanted to slap Ariana for that. He didn't want to remember her. She was still beneath his deepest memories, and the last thing that he wanted is to be reminded of her.

"I'm over it." Tim revealed. "But like I said, it's tough and it took a while. Honestly, there's only one mother in my life, and that person cannot be replaced."

"God." Ariana shown her sympathy. "I don't even know how it's like to have a mother, let alone a caring one. The only thing that came close to my mother is my aunt."

"Well, I hope that your real mother is a good person, dead or alive. Sorry if that sounded a little too harsh."

"I get it."

The rather depressing dialogue came into a halt. A few minutes later, Tim realized that she had been sleeping on his shoulder the whole time. He once wondered how Ariana's face would look like when she fell asleep. Now that he have seen it, he wished that he could see it more times. The innocent-looking face of a girl with a dark family connection that she never wanted to be involved in.

The limousine arrived back at the Drake Cottage. Tim released her out of his tight grip and wake her out of the momentary sleep as he finally got into the sight of the most familiar place in his life. "Wake up." He said to her. "We're here."

Ariana opened her eyes. The first sight she had to see was the smart and handsome boyfriend that she is very proud to have. She smiled at him and pushed him away, trying to regain some consciousness.

"I think you overslept." Tim scratched her head. "Go home and get some rest. I'll meet you at the party, okay?"

"Alright, Timmy."

He then kissed her at the forehead before leaving her with Ted to be escorted back home.

##

As scheduled, the plane is about to reach Gotham in just a few minutes. Bruce promised a surprise present for Dick after he passed his test in Tiantang.

Ever since the Flying Grayson died, the Circus also died with them, but that doesn't mean that the members were completely out of job. The remaining members of the circus team have quit, which is a shame because they got talents and skills to face the danger themselves. Throughout the past six months, Bruce had been looking for connections and help.

"Dick," Bruce said. "Do you know what happened to the circus?"

"Disbanded." Dick revealed. "It was a shame. They're talented. They just need jobs."

"Well, I gave them jobs, all of them."

In a flash, Dick stroke his vision right towards Bruce's face. "What?"

Bruce took something that Alfred gave to him. It was a clipboard with papers filled with list of names. These were actually the names of all the circus performers who once performed in Haley's Flying Circus. There are about 37 of them including C. C. Haley, Dick Grayson, John Grayson, and Mary Grayson. Just looking at the list and remembering the names put Dick into a nostalgia mode. All those memories, all those names, all the goods that he did, all the bad, all the fun things...

"For the past six months, I've been looking for them, every single one of them." Bruce said. "I helped them the best as I could, even those who were lucky enough to have a good life."

"You... you did?" Dick noticed that every single names were checked, and for some reason including the name of his parents. The only name that wasn't checked was his name. "Why are my parents checked? How would you help them?"

"Well first, I'm making a memorial for your parents right beside mine. Second, helping you is a favor to your parents as well." Bruce revealed. "Other than that, I gave Newton and Axel a proper job in Hollywood as stuntmen, Christa and Frederick got a job in the Culinary, and I provided Wayne Scholarship for the young performers..."

"Stop..." Dick gestured towards him. "This... this is too much."

"I help when I can."

"But you don't have to."

"I have to. You're my friend." Bruce interrupted.

"But Bruce... I'm sorry... I can't..." Dick realized that perhaps not being appreciative of his offer is only going to make things worse. He sighed. "Thank you. No really, I mean it."

"You're welcome." Bruce replied with a smile.

"And you're right. I should be back. I should be... a little more normal if that makes sense." Dick smiled. He took a newspaper and began to read to latest news. Six months of isolation certainly made him to be less interesting. "Speaking of normal, what do you think was the perfect job for me?"

"Well, there is still an opening for a bodyguard."

Dick raised his eyebrow. "Bruce, you were trained by the League of Assassins for two years. You trained with me for the next seven. Why in the name of god would you need a bodyguard?"

"Honestly, I can't think of a good job for you." Bruce stated. "And I'm actually kind of surprised to say that after all the jobs I gave to your ex co-workers. Also, It would be a little suspicious for someone like Bruce Wayne to not have a bodyguard on his side. I want to look weak."

"For what?" Dick didn't really see the point of all of that. "All that crap about fighting, that didn't make you weak. Won't you use it for something good?"

"Nah." Bruce shrugged. "I'd rather keep it for surprise. Besides, I may have fought alone very good, but I fought better when you're around. You're my partner, Dick. You always have."

Dick scoffed, thinking of it for a moment before finally coming into a conclusion. "Okay, Bruce. I think that'll do... for now. How about a house?"

"Do you still remember Tim Drake?" Bruce asked.

It didn't take Dick to remember his 9 year old fan that he met ten years ago. "Of course. He's the last new person I've met before my parents died. I don't want to be old-school, but he's a little rascal."

"Well, you'd be surprised if I say that he got his Bachelor's Degree just recently." Bruce said. "He's very smart and talented, just like you."

"Sounds like you want to put us up in a fight." Dick grinned.

"Oh you don't want to fight him." Bruce said. "He got his gold in High School MMA, and he was taught by a former MMA champion turned bodyguard and gym owner."

"What happened to the champion?" Dick rested his back on the sofa.

"Some serious injuries, and he cancelled his career." Bruce said. "Thankfully, the Drake Industries were one of his sponsors. So once he quit, they got him a job."

"Ah, so that's where you got the idea to hire me." Dick revealed.

Bruce was about to say something, but after thinking of it for long, it was actually kind of a coincidence that Dick and Ted had a lot of similarities: World Champion, got injured (mentally in Dick's case), and hired by the guy who once sponsored him. The parallels were uncanny, but still amazing.

"Huh, come to think of it, you're right."

"Except that I wasn't an MMA champion."

"You are an Expert Gymnast and you're pretty famous." Bruce said. "You're agile, flexible, you're the Boy Wonder. So yeah, you're technically a champion. But never mind that. You're staying at his Cottage."

Dick went slightly curious on that revelation. "What, you don't have a free space on your huge manor?"

"I'm planning for renovation." Bruce smiled, reassuring him of what is going to happen.

Dick ignored him. Instead, he picked up a newspaper that lied on the table on his side. Alfred didn't really remember on leaving something like that near him, but after six months of disappearance, perhaps a newspaper is the valid solution to all of this. He then glanced at an article that caught his eye.

"The hell?"

"What is it?" Bruce asked.

"A bunch of random thugs were beaten up by a giant bat." Dick said. "And bat as in the animal and not the baseball bat. God, I know that Gotham is the worst city ever, but it's not this insane."

"I think it was just a viral marketing campaign for the new superhero movie."

"What did they call it?"

"Oh I don't know." Bruce shrugged. "The Batman?"

Dick scoffed. "This is ridiculous." He threw the newspaper to the table, revealing the images of some of the injured thugs that were beaten up by the said giant bat. The giant bat had no illustrations, though, as the GCPD cops would never believe in such thing.

##

Taking care of a family was definitely a work, but Barbara Jr. was certainly a surprise for the Gordon family. Barbara had been isolating herself for getting better grades at the University, and all her efforts paid through as she reached the Bachelor's Degree of Computer Engineering in just a few years after she joined. It was one hell of an accomplishment, and it is definitely something to be proud of.

There was actually more reason why she isolated herself other than trying to reach her degree. Before the graduation, Barbara had a lot of troubles in her head. She was actually not the real daughter of Jim Gordon. Jim Gordon was actually her uncle. Her real parents got divorced by the time she turned five. It took her a while to adjust to the new lifestyle, but it didn't matter much. Jim Gordon had been very kind towards her and has given her enough freedom to do so.

She had lived more years with Jim Gordon than her parents to the point where he was more of a dad than her actual daddy was. Jim Gordon was a detective, and as she grew up, his attitude began to jump into her without warning. The more times she grew up, the more she wanted to be like her father, and the more times she had that detective sort-of thinking and attitude even if she didn't have that proper law education like Tim Drake.

But that doesn't mean that she didn't miss her old parents, though. As she glanced at the old pictures of the very little memories that she had with her old parents, she is constantly reminded of those precious memories that she had when she was four. Her parents usually brought her the best of toys or went into the best of places in Gotham just to cheer her up. If she could only be at their side once again. If they could only come back just to make her happy.

"Do you still miss them?" Jim just went back home for a little break to visit his stepdaughter after her graduation. He got himself a nice cup of coffee on the way home. He noticed his daughter's eyes strolling through the old pictures and remembering it like it was yesterday. "I wish that they could see this. They couldn't be more proud of you. I couldn't be." Gordon tapped at her shoulder and tried to comfort her. "You've done a great job."

"Thanks, Dad." Barbara said, smiling at him with a glance of her pure emerald eyes. "I appreciate it, and yes, I still miss them."

"You're not the only one." Jim tapped her shoulder again. "Gotham is a hard place to live. You can't imagine the struggle that your parents went through."

"I don't blame Gotham." Barbara crossed her hands. "Personally, I blame the cops for not following the system, even though the system itself is broken. I know that you're not one of them, Dad. I believe in you."

Both Barbara Junior and Senior were the ones who made him to be like this. Jim Gordon had something else that not a lot of other cops had. He had respect. He had compassion. He mostly acts like a boy-scout and for good reason. He is one of the best cops that Gotham City ever had and is trustworthy and respectable. It's a shame that not a lot of cops are following his examples and instead kept stumbling on into corruption and more corruption.

"I'm famished. I'm going for lunch." Barbara threw that out of nowhere.

"There are still some leftovers on the fridge." Jim pointed out at the kitchen.

"Boring. I'm in the mood for some Chinese." Barbara left Jim without even saying a word. "See you, dad!"

Barbara opened the door out of her apartment, but something interesting just caught her eye.

It was the recent newspaper that Gordon got every day. It was one hell of a news. A bunch of thugs being beaten up by what they claimed to be a 'giant bat'. It made it into the headline, but Barbara wasn't so sure why something like that has to be made in the headline. Was it real, or was it just a cheap promotional gimmick for the newest superhero movie?

"Hey, Dad!" Barbara shouted as she glanced at the newspaper. Jim approached her about the newspaper business and immediately knew what she was talking about. "What's the deal with the giant bat?"

"Oh, it was nothing." Jim said. "The thugs got drunk. Perhaps they beat each other without even realizing it."

"So there's no Giant Bat?" Barbara asked.

Jim giggled. "Of course not! They were drunk. You've been watching too many horror movies, honey."

"Shame." Barbara said. "I want his autograph."

"You had better luck asking Dracula out for a date." Jim might be a straightforward cop, but he still hadn't lost his sense of humor. "And if that's the case, I'll get the best damn silver bullet I can find."

"Oh, Dad." Barbara scoffed, amused by his always overprotective attitude. "Anyway, gotta go!" She left him with a kiss on a cheek. Jim smiled back at her.

As she went out, she then stumbled upon one of Jim Gordon's partner. She was a stunningly hot and beautiful Detective sent from Lakeside back to Gotham for one reason after the other. That golden blonde hair strolling all the way to her shoulder and that not so bold lipstick she always used, it really made an impression.

As she nearly bumped into her, Barbara immediately gasped. "Oh, Detective Essen!"

"Barbara." She was as surprised as she was. "Where are you going?"

"Chinese Restaurant." Barbara replied. "Sorry, I can't talk. I'm famished. Bye!"

She was as cheerful as ever. Detective Sarah Essen smiled and shook her head. She turned her attention back to Gordon, who was also smiling at the young spirit of his daughter.

Sarah scoffed. "I just met her in the graduation and I already liked her."

"Well, I think you two are going to get along very well." Gordon said. "Anyway, what brings you here?"

"I'm sorry if I came here personally." She said. "I figure that since your daughter had just been graduated and you just came back home, you don't want to be disturbed."

"It's fine." Gordon reassured her. "If it's police work, I had all the rights to be disturbed."

"You had a moment with your daughter. It's more important than any police work ever. Besides, it's nothing too serious." She said. "I went to the office after the graduation and I think Bullock has a lead on the Batman case."

"The... what...?" Gordon said, snorting. "So that's what you're calling it, Batman?"

"What else is there to name him?" Essen shrugged. "A man who beat up a bunch of thugs and dressed up like a bat. The Batman."

"You know, sometimes I wonder why our Police Department is compromised." Gordon said. "The employees didn't take their work too seriously."

Essen was amused of his sarcasm. "I know, but this guy exists, Gordon. This guy... or this thing is real, and he is out there beating up a bunch of thugs every night."

"Well, tell that to the Commissioner." Gordon said. "I think he'll believe every word you say."

"Gordon!" Essen exclaimed. "Look, that's not important. The important part is that I have a video of the Batman in act."

"A video?"

Now that is definitely an interesting thing to look for. Barbara, who had been eavesdropping the conversation the entire time, left the two to investigate more on the case and let Barbara to investigate even further. Let's see who is faster.

Barbara arrived at her favorite restaurant. It was a Chinese Restaurant where she usually take her breaks out of schoolwork. She usually did this on a daily basis, to the point where she became a regular to the restaurant. There was just something about the red wallpaper that the place had. Was it just because the similarity to her hair? Or was it because the atmosphere?

She took a seat right at one of the tables served. She opened her laptop, the X-256, the thinnest, most resourceful, and most modern laptops that has ever existed. As a Bachelor's Degree Graduate in Computer and Engineering, she is mostly told on how to make the most basic stuff and the most basic of languages. Outside, she had mastered a lot of computer languages more so than what Gotham University could teach her.

Between hacking emails, going through people's social media, manipulating machinery functions, finding digitally-stored information, and even hacking through the Pentagon, one of the most secure locations in the entire world, it's all on her blood. The skills that she got were only known by her father in the surface, but he didn't know how to implement it right. She once had an idea to offer her father to become an information broker, but knowing that hacking is an illegal work and it is 'out of the system', it might have been better not to do so.

The waitress finally came in. Like most employees in a Chinese Restaurant, they were either Chinese or can speak Chinese fluently. So it's not surprising that most of the employees were Asian. Except this time, the employee was American. "Welcome! Can I help you?"

Barbara told the waitress her preferred food. After the waitress left, she continued her work. Her hacking skills can be used at anywhere and anytime. She could literally block off the electricity in this building. She could literally hack through someone's webcam and record their activities anonymously. She could find the locations of her favorite artists, but she didn't want to. She wanted to help, not abuse her skills into those ridiculous degrees.

The crimes that happened throughout Gotham were only a glimpse of the worst. Peoples were desperate enough already to live. Drug distribution and Weapons Trading could only make things worse. She wished that there can be something to do. If she can't do it by following the system, she had to do it outside the system.

_Hm... working outside of the system. I got the skills, all I need is a place to implement it. If Daddy doesn't have a good place for me to start, there's nothing wrong to go independent. _

She stretched her arms and cracked her fingers. _Fine then. I'm going to play this rough and tough. _

Knowing that she couldn't really get an approval of working as an information broker to her father, she instead took it upon herself and just did it without their approval. She hacked in through the emails, recorded phone activities, and most importantly direct conversations held by the criminals.

_Hacking through the Gotham GCPD were too easy. I'm surprised that no one had even bothered to try it. There are so many loopholes and gaps to exploit, but for this time, I'm going to take the hardest one. _

The hardest one only took her a few seconds to exploit. In a few minutes, she managed to get inside the GCPD database. It felt like only a few seconds just passed.

_Alarms off, backtracker off, and a worm is planted. Right, the easy part is over. Now let's get to the interesting stuff. _

The main benefit of having a heavily modified PC is that she could exploit her privacy. The glass that she wore weren't just to fix her eyesight problem that she didn't really have, but it is indeed useful to maintain privacy. _Oh, and I want to make sure that nobody noticed this. Let's get the privacy mode on. _She put on a few codes and immediately the computer turned white, but on her glasses, she is able to look the real contents inside.

_Essen mentioned something about the proof of Batman existing. I should be able to find the relevant data in a compiled folder._ _The GCPD might be corrupt, but most corrupt peoples were unusually well organized at their work. Of course, they don't want peoples to discover their dirty secrets. _

She browsed through the database, finding more and more information that confirmed more and more of the sightings of the Bat, and in no time, she found the actual video.

_So this is the video that Essen was talking about. A surveillance camera in one of the toilets. Well, at least it's not pointing inside one of the stalls. I'm going to download this. Let's make sure that there a are no tappers... oh wait there are none. Downloading... _

Later on, the familiar Linux GUI stumbled into her eyes. A few little finger presses here and there and the surveillance video has completely finished.

She opened the surveillance video. She attached her headset to maintain her privacy even more. She didn't want someone's scream completely fill up the entire part of the restaurant.

At first, there was nothing completely unusual. There was a guy who just went out of the bathroom and he washed his hands on the sink. Nothing too unusual. Except in a few seconds, there was a power outage. The room went dark. The only thing that is remotely visible was the guy's phone. He picked it up the moment the powers went out.

Knowing a big fan of horror movies, she knew exactly what was going to happen next: Something is going to pop out after the powers went back in. It's a traditional horror movie cliché that was overdone in too many found-footage movies, but the thing is this footage was found by the police. So the term found footage does not apply to a genre anymore. It applies to its own literal meaning.

Although she had to admit. As a horror fan, even if it's not a movie, the footage is slightly more terrifying, but mostly because she knew that it was real and is not done by evil executive producers. The moment the lights went back on, there was a dark and terrifying figure resembling a humanoid bat. Despite the humanoid structure, the bat was very muscular and huge. The darkness that shrouded his entire body was like a part of the darkness that covered the entire room when the powers turned off. It was like it was a part of him.

Disturbingly Creepy: Check.

The Bat was just standing behind the man. He didn't twitch. He just stand there with his robe covering his body like the room was really cold and he had no blankets left. As the lights went back in, the guy noticed the bat through the mirrors and looked behind. The look on his face was just a glimpse of the unspeakable terror that he had to face. The moment he turned, the Bat grabbed the man, but the lights went back out again.

Electricity Manipulation: Check.

As the darkness covered the entire room, there was a very noticeable impact noise that can be heard from afar. Not only that, the man was screaming, like he was flying in the air and couldn't control it. The lights went back out again. The guy, who was standing in front of the sink, is now all the way back to the wall near the exit door. The range between the sink and the wall was about four-five feet, and his last position, combined with the impact noise she heard last time and the scream, made her think that the Bat actually threw the guy across the room.

Superhuman: Check.

Even though the lights went back on, the Bat is nowhere to be seen. The guy went slightly confused, but he's still absolutely terrified on that. He really felt like he was being attacked by a ghostly presence. He went to the exit door and did his best to budge the door and get out of this nightmare, but the door is locked and could not budge. Therefore, the terror was real. The lights went out again, but only for a few seconds before the Bat finally revealed his presence right behind the man.

The man could finally take a closer look at the beastly presence that haunted him on this bathroom. The Bat went in closer towards the man, and he finally spoke, but here's the weird thing. Even though he was around 7-8 feet across the surveillance camera, his voice were not only loud and completely distorted, but sounded like he was actually putting his mouth in the camera.

"Zachary Boles." He began. His voice was very monotonous, devoid of any emotion and is completely inhuman. "Today, you committed crime against more than a hundred and seventy women in human trafficking including more than fifty underage children. You know their distribution ring. Where were they sent to?"

Boles did not respond. He instead backed away and said his words. "Go to hell!"

The Bat stood still. He kept staring at the guy with that creepy looking face of his. "Don't worry. We already are in hell."

The Bat turned the lights off once again. The same kind of thing happened. The guy screamed. Noise of impact can be heard, and as the lights went back again, he is seen right near the camera and is five feet from where he last stood up.

"I can throw you into anywhere I want." The Bat continued. "I can show you pain."

Boles noticed the Bat was right in front of him. He woke up and threw a punch, but the screen completely distorted and the Batman is now at a different position, avoiding his punch.

"I can show you what it feels like to become those girls your sold to slavery."

Another punch by Boles, but the same thing happened again. The Bat dodged his attack and retorted back.

"I can show you the feeling of getting tortured bits by bits by your relentless needs of unnecessary violence."

The Bat had enough with the dance. As he moved, the screen went black. As he stopped, the screen turned back on. The Bat has pinned him down the sink, and he didn't even struggle to pin him there. Just a hand on the back of his head and one hand to grab his hand. That's enough to pin him down, and the strength of the Bat was inhuman. There was a noticeable damage on the counter that the Batman was pinning him down to.

"Look, man!" He begged. He was nervous. There was nothing he could do right now. "It was just business! There's nothing personal. I swear to god! I'll... I'll tell you where they sent them all! Just... please let me go!"

"Where are they?" The Bat asked.

"They were sent into many places and sold to many peoples." Boles said. "I have a list of buyers and their distribution records in my pockets. It was on my data stick. I can give it to you. Just please let me go!"

The Bat actually did what he said, but instead of giving him the said data stick, he took a knife out of his pockets and faced the Bat. He thought that he was the one getting the upper hand, but he could not be more wrong. The Bat was not intimidated by that. Boles whipped his knife towards him, but something like that can easily be dodged by a simple sidestep. Even Barbara knew that well.

The Bat grabbed his arm, and in an instant, he actually broke it. That is even without any sorts of effort. Just one hand a simple twitch is apparently all he needed. The bone-breaking sound can be heard. Boles shrieked like a little girl and immediately dropped the knife that he held. He pinned him down the wall and just through the camera, the Bat's eyes were bright white. The Bat took the said data disk right out of his pockets. "This data could save the lives of those peoples you took from their loved ones."

The Bat turned around from him and walked towards the exit. Boles, who could do nothing more with his arm broke, asked the Bat of his ghostly presence. "What are you?"

The Bat turned around to face him. He turned the lights off, but his eyes were still bright white.

"I'm Batman."

His eyes went dark. The lights went back on, but the Bat was already right in front of Boles. He shoved his final punch right at the guy. The punch was powerful enough to actually push him all the way to the top of the counter of the sink. It has certainly knocked him out unconscious. He finally delivered his final lines. "Nothing Personal."

The screen cuts to black.

_Eh... it was alright. _Barbara gave her thoughts. _The only scary part is that this is actually real. Other than that, I'm not impressed._

There are some additional things on the video's folder. One of them is the complete bio data of Zachary Boles, and yes, Zachary Boles has in fact, sold a lot of women including girls into slavery. Human trafficking and prostitution is still a thing in Gotham, but Batman's information is way beyond accurate.

_This is interesting. There are only a few ways of identifying Boles. One was to interrogate his friends and associates, and the other one is to hack through the GCPD database. Checking on the dates of the GCPD database only reveal that his bio data was last modified a day ago. The unmodified data only classify him as a suspect while the new one classified him as a convict. _

_How did the Batman know how to find this guy? How was he able to figure out that it was him who did this all along?_

That is indeed one of the biggest questions in Barbara's head right now, but a few types here and there managed to get her into something more than just a typical hack through the GCPD mainframe.

_I managed to get a hold of the information regarding the Trafficking Ring and the convicts. Ah, I think I got more than I need. There are several peoples known to be involved in the Ring. Through cross-referencing their information, there are some uncanny similarities that ultimately lead to Boles being assaulted by the Batman. One of the similarities being that these convicts gathered up on his apartment at an usual time after midnight and ended after 2AM, exactly the time where the Batman attacked him. _

_Hm... this is not enough proof yet. The Batman is going to need a more definitive proof in order to accuse him of all of this._

A little browsing in the video's folder reveal a more interesting information.

_Now this is definitely intriguing. The Batman not only has access to the GCPD database, but he also had access to the security cameras on Boles's apartment. At least that's what I thought. He couldn't have known that Boles was involved unless if he got security footage of his activities. The cameras were actually not the owner's cameras, but it was Boles's. He didn't want cops or other peoples getting involved in his work. So he set up cameras around his apartment including the toilets as well to prevent someone from getting in. Wow, that sounded very familiar to another horror movie. _

_So now it all makes sense. The Batman hacked through the cameras on Boles's apartment and set it up to record any trafficking activities and/or transactions without any of Boles's men's knowledge. Through the footage recorded by the camera, he is able to have a leverage on Boles and stop the Trafficking Ring once and for all. Not only that, but through the recordings, he is able to know that Boles got the records of the distribution ring, and from that moment, all the Batman needed was just to confront the man himself and find the said Intel. _

_In the end, Boles is brought to a hospital and the Batman is confirmed to be real, but does the world really need to know this?_

Barbara went back to the GCPD database and completely erased any sorts of trace of the Batman existing.

_Even if I delete this, the Batman would still be operating and find ways to expose himself in ways that I couldn't anticipate. Besides, I can only destroy the soft-copy of videos. Batman, Dad, Essen, or Bullock must have made a physical copy of it, something that I can't really destroy on a get-go. Even if they didn't have a physical copy, the Batman wanted this to be found. According to the reports, the video file was found in the hospital where they treated Boles's broken and dislocated ribs. So whatever I do to prevent it, he'll always find a way to show himself. _

_Well, let's see if he does want to show himself. _

##

The Batman had been operating twice. Both of them happened this month. The first one was just assaulting random drunken thugs. It happened about a week ago, and the second was to terrorize Boles. Looks like Alfred had been thinking too much into this, but what his master had pulled off for the second attempt of being the so-called Batman was probably a little too far.

Around two days ago, Master Bruce took his mantle and did his second attempt on Boles. He acquired the footage of him scaring the living crap out of the guy and beating him up senselessly until he spoke. He almost got killed by the knife, but thankfully the Batman is not really an utter buffoon in terms of fighting.

Alfred was thinking about the recent newspaper article. This one was talking about his assault on Boles, which for some reason just recently got published. The attack was two days ago, and Gotham Gazette just published the news now. Perhaps there were little to no information on it or perhaps that news about a giant bat assaulting sex offenders were too uninteresting.

The headline of the news couldn't possibly be any more subtle. _The Bat Strikes Again!_

Alfred walked in to Bruce's study room. The young master was reading the same article he read last morning. "You scared him off good, Master Bruce. Boles had gotten extremely paranoid of your crusade, but are you sure that this is what Gotham needed, a billionaire in an expensive suit beating up a bunch of thugs?"

Bruce Wayne dropped the newspaper and kept glancing at the news. "I'm not sure, Alfred. I don't know what kind of influence that I can give to this city, but it had to be something good. I want to do justice to this city. I want to inflict fear towards the criminals who did nothing better than to lay more waste and hurt more peoples, and I can't do that as Bruce Wayne. I have to do that as the Batman."

Alfred was honestly intrigued by the philosophy. Bruce had never been quite the philosopher, but right now he had shown that he might be capable of doing so. Alfred asked a more philosophical question instead just to see how the young master would do. "Why Bats? What was the story behind all of that?"

Bruce did not turn around towards the butler. Instead, he dropped the newspaper and walked away from him towards somewhere. "I was scared of Bats, and I wanted my enemies to feel what I feel. I want to inflict my own fear towards those who deserved it. As such, I can't be a normal everyday billionaire to do that. I have to become something else. I have to become something different. There's nothing more terrifying than being different. There's nothing more terrifying than being... unearthly."

#END#


	5. S01C05

Chapter 5

The Bat-Cave is probably one of the toughest projects that both Bruce and Alfred had to make. In just a matter of six months, they are able to convert the old cave filled with many different types of bats into the headquarters of the Dark Knight. They are able to construct an entrance and a landing zone for the largely unused but technologically superior D32 Lockhead AKA the Batwing or the Bat-Plane. They are able to take a concept out of an old Lamborghini project and turn it into one of the most fully-featured and intimidating vehicles for crime fighting, the Batmobile.

Not only that, but in a span of six months, he is able to construct a training field complete with fighting dummies, punching bags, all sorts of weapons, and beside it is a small gym with weightlifting machines and treadmills. It was an accomplishment, something that Bruce Wayne couldn't do alone. This is the beginning of his crime fighting regime. This is the beginning of the crusade.

This is the beginning of Batman.

"This is the criminal's worst nightmare." Bruce crossed his hands.

"I know, Master Bruce." Alfred said. "Which is why I recommend you to be careful on who to reveal your secret identity."

"When my parents died, I died with them." Bruce said. "I'm reborn as the a creature of the night. I'm reborn as the Batman."

"Well, I'd love to have the philosophy of a guy dressing up as a bat to beat up criminals, but you have a party to attend at eight." Alfred said.

"It's still six." Bruce said. "We have plenty of time to prepare."

"Have you ever considered some help?" Alfred asked. "You surely can't do this by yourself. Maybe Master Dick can do something for you..."

"Wow..."

Dick Grayson popped out of nowhere. He couldn't even find out how to comprehend the amount of insanity that was put in just one cave. "So the giant bat is real, and you're the giant bat."

"Well, now you know." Bruce said. He wasn't surprised that Dick would eventually find the cave. It's inevitable. "And honestly, I don't care. I've been thinking about this project for a year and I'm not going to stop now."

A pause. Dick was trying to comprehend the incomprehensible, but out of nowhere, Dick actually laughed his ass off. The laugh was so loud and so long that it made him cringe in tears. It was rather glorious. "Oh my god."

"What's so funny?"

"You know," Dick began. "I got this image of your face in the Bat outfit and pfftt... I mean you and the giant wings and the cowl and oh god." He laughed, mimicking the Bat ears while he's at it. "Bruce, the only thing that you need is to reopen the circus. Just get the title The Adventures of the Magnificent Batman and just let me say 'showing to you live at Broadway! Buy two tickets one free! $10 to see the giant bat beating peoples up and..."

While Dick was talking, Bruce was pushing a bunch of buttons. Something rose up from the floor. It looked like some sort of a pod. Inside the pod, an armor is displayed like it was some sort of a fashion show... for lunatics. The armor looked thick and powerful. The cowl that initially looked silly was actually pretty intimidating. If Bruce was wearing one of those things and he was crawling through the night, he couldn't imagine how scared he would be.

"Holy sh..." Dick was about to say it, but Bruce gave him the stare before he say it. "Wow... Bruce. This... I have to admit this looked badass. How are you supposed to wear this anyway?"

"Well," Bruce began. "I'll show you, but you have to do me a favor: Don't tell this to anyone."

Bruce actually showed him how it worked. He walked towards the pod and began to put things one by one.

"Well, this is the armor." Bruce began. "It is made out of the best material for the work called graphene. It is one of the strongest, lightest material ever produced to this day."

"But it doesn't come off cheap, right?" Dick remarked.

"Yes." Bruce confirmed. "When graphene is rolled up, it becomes nano-fiber tubes, which I use in this armor as the material. Combined with triple-weaved Kevlar, I'm practically bulletproof."

"How about the cape?" Dick asked. "Capes can be dangerous, you know? You can get stuck in an elevator with it or peoples can just pull it out."

"The cape is like the armor in many ways." Bruce explained as he began to put all the elements of the armors one by one. "It is based on D30 gels, a non-Newtonian fluid, which is a fancy way of saying that these things are flexible upon slow movements and rigid upon impact. This thing is able to block off pretty much any sorts of bullet moving in high speed. Also, it is conductive, meaning that I can transmit shock when someone tried to grab it."

"You're not planning to make some sort of a wing using this thing?" Dick asked.

"Of course." Bruce revealed. "If I would dress up as a bat, I need to have the ability to fly, at least partially able to fly. I can't really fly too much, but I'm close enough."

"How does this wing work exactly?"

"It's like a glider." Bruce revealed. "Like I said, I can't really fly. I can only manipulate the wind to get through wherever I wanted, hence the term gliding."

"How about falling, or the speed of the wing, or how to stop the momentum?"

"The materials on the armor have been designed so that I'm protected from any sorts of falling damage." Bruce revealed. "That combined with the correct falling technique and the grappling hook can make me safe from any height. I also designed the boots, elbow pads, shoulder pads, and my gloves to be the strongest out of all the materials, and the D30 gels I've mentioned earlier is shock absorbent. Not only that, but the artificial muscles is able to withstand any height."

"The cowl?"

"Other than using the materials I've mentioned, the cowl had a radio transmitter in the ears part." Bruce revealed. "I use this to jam the signals of police radios and find the ongoing crimes that will be around. The ears can also provide sonar projection with complete profilers and identification. I'm calling it Detective Vision."

"Why not call it Bat-Vision?"

Bruce looked at Dick with skeptical eyes, dazzled by how a basic knowledge can get right pass through him. "Because Bats are blind."

"Oh." Dick chuckled.

All Bruce needed to completely turn into the creature of the night was just to use his cowl. Even without the cowl, he still had the impression that he really is the creature of the night, and thanks to the increased physique of the Batman's body, the thugs could actually believe that they were really fighting some sort of a giant bat.

"I'm not sure if it's comfortable wearing that thing." Dick said.

"The artificial muscles built on the suits allow me to be more flexible in battle." Bruce revealed. "Although I have to agree on you with that."

"So it's not just the armor you're going to use to get the bad guys, right? Do you have any sorts of tools or gadgets?"

For demonstration purposes, Bruce put up the cowl. It could only cover most of his face except for his mouth. The ears were enough to become a transmitter, and just by that alone he already looked like the creature of the night.

Right beside the armor pod, there was a display full of all sorts of gadgets. "I have all the gadgets that I needed to fight crime. From the two gloves were two grappling hooks powerful enough to hold any sorts of force. The rope can only be cut with a specific material and not any sorts of knife. In the end of the grappling hook, a powerful spring mechanism is attached to prevent shock."

"What's with the voice?" Dick asked, noticing Bruce's voice become more monotonous and grizzlier.

"I have to stay in character." Bruce explained. "I can't be someone else when I am the Bat."

"Okay." Dick nodded. "Anything else?"

"I have explosive gels, bat-shaped shurikens or 'batarangs', electric disruptor, glue grenade, shock gloves, a line launcher, and NO guns." Bruce exclaimed. "I have learned too many times that killing doesn't make anything better. So I won't. I'll incapacitate."

"If you're going to plan for that, you're going to need a lot of sleeping gas or sleeping darts." Dick commented. "Can you add sedative injection system to your batarangs or something? I mean that would be nice."

"I have." Bruce revealed. "Now you have to promise me, Richard. You're going to promise me not to tell anyone about this..."

"Yeah yeah... I know the deal." Dick stopped him. "You got some badass armor, so I can't argue and why should..."

"Dick, I'm serious." Bruce grabbed his arm and just glared at him with very sharp eyes. "I didn't do this because I want to have a night in Broadway and entertain peoples. I do this because I want to fight crime, and I can't do that when peoples know who I am."

"Just relax, Bruce." Dick said. "Seriously, you gave my friends all work and you made me a memorial to my parents. You don't have to do anything else to get me to stop talking. You have my word."

Bruce should've known better not to doubt his friend, someone who was like a brother to him for the rest of his life. He had been with him for the past seven years and he had shown his appreciation for him, and yet he has doubted him too much for this sort of information. Perhaps giving him some trust would actually win his heart.

"If you want, you can actually help." Bruce said on his normal voice, finally removing the cowl and the Batsuit with him. Dick paused for a moment before Bruce continuing his sentence. "I have some of the armor prototypes in the back. You can give it a fresh repaint if you want."

"And dress up in a silly outfit?" Dick asked before scoffing. "Yeah, because you really looked like the type of guy who needed a partner."

"How many times should I say 'I'm serious' to you?"

"As many times as you can to get that scowly face out of yours."

Bruce laughed, smiling at him for his amusement. "Really, Dick. I have a costume prepped for you, but you might want to do some repaint if you don't like it."

Dick didn't smile, but there was still some enthusiasm on his face. "I'll think about it."

##

It's 7:30 PM and the party had just begun thirty minutes early. There was a pretty wide room on the third floor of the Drake Cottage that allowed them to have this amount of guests. It wasn't too big, but at least it was enough to keep some company. He had all sorts of properties ready, but he won't be getting specific for the selections.

Tim didn't really need a guest list, but after Barbara and his classmates were involved, perhaps he absolutely needed one. The residents of the house are obviously welcome. Tim Drake's classmates are obviously welcome. The Drake family is obviously welcome, and just recently, he added Barbara Gordon and her known friends in the mix. Ted also invited his sister, Cat Grant, who was a reporter in Metropolis, but even then, he had uninvited guests in the mix too.

"So who else we got on the guest list?" Tim asked Ted, who was getting the guest list ready using his tablet.

"Your buddies, check. My buddies, check. Family, check. Barbara and her friends, check." Ted said. "Uh... the other Ted, check. Oliver Queen sends his message. Kate sends her message. Bruce Wayne is coming. Oh and Bruce had his bodyguard. Can he come in?"

"Of course."

"Okay, got that." Ted said. "And finally... Vicki Vale. I'm not sure if I should approve her."

"Vicki Vale?" Just by the name alone, he went a little uneasy on the nerves. "That's weird. Fine, get her in."

"Okay..." Ted said.

"Am I late?"

Ariana came in through the front door, complete with the night gown that Tim bought for her. She looked stunning. Her dark hair matched almost perfectly with the gown. She had a very subtle purple lipstick that still managed to look natural. Thankfully her gown did match. It wasn't like the extremely tight gown that her aunt used to wear. It was so tight that every curve of her body can literally be seen, but not this one.

The most noticeable curves on her body were subtly followed by the gown. It didn't try to strangle her like last time. So not only it looked comfortable, but it looked absolutely sexy as hell. The guests were told to wear either casual outfit or formal outfit. Formal made it looked even more classy, and Ariana couldn't show it any better. Tim froze in place with his mouth widened. Ted could only be amused out of his reaction.

"Wow." Tim was stunned. "Ariana, you look..."

"Stunning." Ted gave his comments.

"I don't need your comments, Ted!" Tim hit him with his elbows.

"You do because every time you look at Ariana in a sexy dress, you clearly pushed the pause button."

"I don't have a pause button."

"Then what did you call that?"

"Okay, guys seriously." Ariana stopped them both from arguing even further. "I just woke up and I thought I was too late. So I hurried up."

"Well, you're early, and you looked beautiful for someone who got up so early so..." Tim commented.

"Well, I'm going to have to leave you two for the moment." Ted said. "No one is guarding the front door. It might as well be me." And then he left the room. His presence was a disturbance to the force.

Ariana smiled as Ted left the room. She turned back, only to caught Tim staring at her with his eyebrow raised and a very suggestive smile carved on the funny face of his. "Tim..."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Tim said. "Am I disturbing you with my charming face?"

Ariana scoffed. "Why were we dating again?"

"I'm just kidding." Tim tapped her shoulder. "I'm glad you came early. I appreciate it."

"Why is that?" Ariana asked.

"Well, we can do a lot of things while we're waiting for the rest of the guests." Tim said. "There's still 30 minutes before the party. A good dance might have done it."

"A dance?" Ariana was very scorned with it. "I'm not good at dancing. If you want to dance, do it yourself."

"Oh, I'm not talking about the MJ sort of dance." Tim said. "I'm talking about the slow, romantic dance. I like them more. They're more subtle and had more emotion to them." Tim actually imitated the dance like he was doing it with a shadow. That was slightly awkward to see.

Ariana grabbed her face, feeling rather embarrassed. She sighed. "Talk like a critic again and I swear I'll be two hours late next time."

"You just don't like dancing." Tim glanced away from her, annoyed.

"Well, I don't. So you shouldn't be surprised."

"I might surprise you." After those retorts, Tim offered his hand. He got his smartphone ready to play the best kind of romantic tunes. "Will you just give it a chance? It won't be long. Just five minutes. I got the best music on the house."

Ariana thought about it before finally coming into a conclusion. "Five minutes."

Tim cried victory. He threw his hands up and out of nowhere, hugged her tight. "Thanks, Ariana! I love you!"

"I'm totally going to hate this." Ariana said. "And I'm totally going to hate you for making me do this."

Tim pulled back, glancing at her annoyed looking face. "I promise. You won't regret it."

Tim pulled his smartphone. With a few button presses here and there, he played out the best kind of song for this romantic night. Even though these moments weren't supposed to be romantic at all. They had the first 30 minutes of the party dedicated to themselves.

"I love this song." Tim remarked. "La Vie en Rose."

Immediately, the song played. It started off with a very slow and subtle tune of the violin followed with a very quick but subtle piano as a filler that still managed to not ruin the song for a bit. After the very romantic bit, the amazing Saxophone solo by Louis Armstrong kicked in. This was the romantic part, and with Ariana on his hands, he couldn't be more happy.

"Okay, I have to admit. This is pretty romantic." She said. "Fine, Tim. You surprised me."

Tim smiled. He had his hands on Ariana's waist. Ariana circled her hands on Tim's neck. She was older, but she was slightly shorter than him. Having a shorter girlfriend made him seems more... weakened. How could someone like Ariana managed to weaken Tim's hearts in every possible manner? Was it the beautiful face she made every time she was smiling? Or was it her stunningly dark eyes that could not fit her gown even more? It was the beauty that weakened him today, and despite her being on his hold, she won.

Tim did nothing but to lower his head, and take a good look at his always beautiful girlfriend. Having Ariana on his waist is like reaching heaven. It was like she's finally his now, and no one will take it away from him. Ariana seemed very happy about this. She began to embrace the dance and enjoyed the music throughout the way. Her stare towards Tim was very powerful, like a strike of a sledgehammer through his head but is as soft as the silk dress running down her gown. She never actually wanted any of this, but the moment Tim's hands went around her body, she finally realized how much he wanted this so much, and how much she actually wanted it too.

Without even realizing, their foreheads meet and their noses touched. Even without touching it, Tim's heart was racing like a tornado, and he could feel it on Ariana as well. He could feel her minty breath as it began to get uncontrollable. He could feel that juicy perfume she always use on her body. She was clearly nervous throughout all of this. Her heart was racing and he could feel the adrenaline strolling through her blood veins just by touching her hands. Throughout her life, at least as far as Tim knew, she had never danced like this with someone this close. Just being a person that is very close to her is enough for a lifetime achievement.

"Hey, Ariana." While still on his clutch, Tim pulled his head back to talk to her. He got his voice on the most subtle voice he could. He didn't want to ruin the mood. "Do you remember when we first met? I think I remembered that I was on the principal's office."

Ariana flashed back towards the past, remembering the first few moments where she met him. "I remember. I think I punished you for being late. God, you were so adorable back then."

"Yeah, in a bad way practically." Tim giggled nervously before sighing. "God. Gotham had never been so much worse. Back then, I thought it could be worse, but right now, the only way it could get any worse is if pigs start to fly."

"Cats and dogs living together, mass hysteria, I know." Ariana continued. "That was like the first time you brought me into watching some old movies. I love the movies, but god it was just a depressing time."

"Yeah, not even Ghostbusters could even heal us from that." Tim said. "You know, I felt that I ruined some part of your family, you know? I mean they killed your dad ever since I had contact with you..."

"No... no... no..." Ariana reassured him. "Tim, my dad died. So what? He was an ass and a murderer. I don't feel bad. He had nothing to do with you. Don't blame yourself. As a matter of fact, my life is so much better when I'm with you. My Uncle is a better father than my father, I sort of have a mother right now, and I have a loving boyfriend who cares for me."

Tim smiled at her, but later on, Ariana realized what his real intentions were. "Oh... you wanted me to say that."

"I love you too." Tim gave the most adorable of line.

"I hate you." Ariana was just being sarcastic again. She can be seen genuinely smiling on his attempt, but whatever kind of issues that Ariana had right now, she quickly forget about it the moment where she rested her head on Tim's chest. Tim held her tight as they move in to the very romantic music. "I guess I've had enough for tonight."

Although disappointed, Tim released her out of his clutch and pushed her away very gently before giving the final touch on the soft skin on her cheeks. He loved to touch that. "Fine, beauty." Honestly, it was the crappiest moment in his life, to finally let loose on the girlfriend that he loved. "Actually, now that you're here, I'm going to need your help." Tim turned the music off from his smartphone. "I got no time to hire a DJ. So I'm going to have to do this manually. What's the best mix you got?"

Ariana sighed. She took his smartphone and began her search on the best mixes. "I have the two-hours Port Apollo mix. Or perhaps the Mad Cats mix last year? I heard it was the best."

"Well, as long as you make the party fun..."

The two walked towards the DJ set and began configuring their playlist for the party.

##

"Alfred?"

"Yes, Master Wayne?"

"I'm driving." Bruce said, adjusting his formal tie before going into his personal vehicle. "I'm suspecting that Blackgate isn't going to have a good day."

"Are you sure, Master Wayne?" Alfred asked.

"Just stay in the manor." Bruce ordered him. "Call me when there's an emergency."

Bruce went inside his Pure Black Lamborghini Aventador, and Dick Grayson was already waiting for him as his passenger. Dick was wearing a white shirt and a black vest, the kind of outfit that French Restaurant waiters wore, while Bruce was wearing his tuxedo with bowtie. Thankfully, it did fit on him, and he couldn't look even more charming using those.

"Sounds like you're pretty busy." Dick said. "And you have to be my driver now?"

"You're getting a new apartment. I guess someone should celebrate it." Bruce said.

Dick could only smile on that. "Look, I understand if you don't want me to stay. You got the Bat business on your nerves and you need some time alone. I get that."

"Then you should understand how important it is for me to do this." Bruce said.

"You know, has Alfred asked 'Why did you came into this conclusion, Master Wayne?'" Dick asked. "Seriously, what makes you think that you can help Gotham by being a giant bat?"

"There's a reason why I went through ten years of hell up to this point." Bruce said. "You know, I used to have a fear of bats when I was a kid."

"So you basically dress up as a giant bat only to tell peoples how much you're scared of them?" Dick said, giggling after that. "Nice one, Bruce. Way to scare the criminal minds."

"You know, sometimes I don't get your mindset." Bruce said. "Anyway, the crimes in Gotham were too much. I believe that it has becoming a supernatural occurrence, even though it didn't look like one. Drugs, poverty, slavery, human trafficking, weapons trading, gang wars, bank robberies, all those sort of stuff. It's extraordinary, and you can't face something extraordinary just by being something normal."

"So you become the extraordinary?" Dick said, scoffing. "I have to admit. You got some clever philosophy there."

Bruce knew Gotham from side to side. The seven years of absent that Bruce Wayne had didn't actually change Gotham for the better. In fact, one could say that the absent made things even worse. He knew Gotham very well thanks to his most frequent visits to the Drake, the Kord, or the Kane, all of whom were in the many parts of Gotham City.

"So..." Dick began. "Are there any particular criminals you're following? Who was the thugs on the news you beat up?"

"Just a bunch of junkies." Bruce said. "They bought drugs off of some dealers."

"What kind of drugs?" Dick asked.

"There's a new drug in the streets called 'Thrill'." Bruce began. "The drug is currently being manufactured by Zucco. It's the bestselling drug right now. Not only it's cheap, but it's effective, and peoples get hooked up rather instantly. The problem is that we couldn't really figure out what kind of materials that the drugs were made of."

"Zucco probably had the answer." Dick said.

"We might not know the materials needed, but we do know where he got the recipes from. I think I have the data on my tablet." Bruce pointed at his tablet. Dick took it and opened it right away. The tablet displayed a blonde man with the same colored moustache and a long hair.

"That's Arthur Brown." Bruce revealed. "He was just one of the chemists for Falcone's men. He is one of the peoples who formulate the meth drug for Falcone. He is in Blackgate now."

"How about this... Thrill drug?" Dick asked. "Do you know who made it?"

"Yes, a former doctor in Arkham Asylum named Jonathan Crane." Bruce revealed. "Using Arthur's old formula, Crane manufactured the drug with Zucco and create a more potent and highly addictive version of his drug. It used to be Arthur's old formula that has gotten Falcone this big, but Zucco had an alternative, and an effective one at that. Falcone and Maroni's business were starting to fall about six months ago, and in any moment, they will have the thoughts of breaking Arthur out of prison."

"Can you stop them?" Dick asked the most important question.

"I can't stop all of them without a proper leverage." Bruce said. "Zucco is practically invincible through the police unless if we found clues and evidence on his involvement with the drug business. Same thing goes to Falcone and Maroni. Knowing the invincible nature of Zucco, Crane might be invincible as well. The GCPD database were very minimal, and Mr. Boles were barely involved in it despite being an avid consumer."

"Who was Boles?" Dick asked.

"Just some thug." Bruce said. "I sent a video to the GCPD. I want to prove that the Bat exist."

"Wasn't the news enough proof already?" Dick asked.

"The thugs were drunk." Bruce revealed. "And of course, they won't believe them. When I attacked Boles, I jammed the security cameras and recorded the act. Now let's see what the police thought about that."

"Do you still have the video?" Dick asked.

"Of course." Bruce said. "It's on a secure file in my tablet. You can only open it with my identification, though."

Dick got Bruce's tablet out of his briefcase. Bruce provided the fingerprints to unlock the file. After that, he watched the video.

##

It's been a while since she has been invited into a party, let alone being invited to one of the richest and smartest kid in Gotham City. Tim Drake gave the courtesy of inviting someone lesser known into his graduation party. She didn't care much for Tim Drake, but at least her best friend ever Barbara would be there. It's been a while since she met her.

She was still strolling her long, blonde hair. She wanted to make sure that it didn't screw up her looks this time around. Thankfully she didn't wear formal. Her dresses weren't always formal. For tonight, a green and amber leather jacket mixed with a nice pair of jeans will do. Only Tim's friends were allowed to wear formal. Perhaps it was just to differentiate the social status, which in that case, Tim was being a jerk.

"You looked like you're dressing up for a date." Carol said. "I'm not saying you looked bad. I'm saying you looked really good in it."

"I'm not up for a date, mom." Stephanie said. "It's just a party. Besides, I can't remember the last time you say that I looked horrible."

"I can. It was in the Halloween night where you were using that gore makeup, and I can definitely remember the last time you went into a party." Carol said. "If you want my advice, I want you not to find any one of those boys or drink any more than three shots of alcohol. I thought I've told her to train you for this sort of stuff."

"She did." Stephanie said. "And she's doing a great job at it. I can handle just a party."

"Just don't get drunk." Carol advised her. "You're driving back home."

"Okay, Mom."

Stephanie hugged her. She was always quite the hugger. It was warm and tight. She wanted to make someone as close as her mother to be even closer. She wanted to feel that connection bursting after so long. After the warm hug, she left.

"Stephanie?" Carol called once again. "How is she?"

Stephanie sighed. She didn't really want to think of her again. It was a miracle to have her, but it was the worst kind of moments in her life. "She's in the right hand now, and please, don't make me think about her."

"I'm sorry." Carol said. "Well, sorry for playing the pronoun game. Off you go now."

Stephanie smiled and walked off.

##

"Wow." Dick said. "That's like one of the best horror shorts I've ever seen."

Bruce was baffled. "Well, did you miss the fact that all of that was real?"

"Then that was the best reality TV show episode I've ever seen."

Bruce sighed.

"No seriously," Dick said. "If I was that guy on the video, I would crap my pants even if I can fight. Even if I can get out alive, no one would believe me!"

"But they should." Bruce said. "I want the peoples of Gotham to know that they have a guardian angel. I want them to know that justice can be served to those who deserved it."

"But you can't always forever be the guardian angel." Dick said. "Someone has to take over your place."

Despite his snide attitude, Dick was noticeably observant from time to time. It was something that Bruce didn't think of for so long. Gotham may have their criminals and the Batman might change Gotham for the better, but it can't always have the Batman to protect them. The Batman is not Eternal. The Batman deep down is still just a man. He can die. He can have feelings as well. It's what makes him human, and it's what makes him to be the embodiment of justice.

"You're right." Bruce sighed. "But I can't think about that when I'm still alive and I barely begun yet. I'm 28 for god's sake."

"Can't imagine if I'm the Batman. Not sure if I'm going to look gorgeous." Dick quit the conversation. He glanced out of the window to see what's there. "So this is the place?"

"Yup."

Finally, they arrived at the Cottage. The outside walls were white and it looked pretty blocky for an apartment. The architecture is pretty simple and modern. As an apartment of a rich kid, it didn't look that bad. The apartment itself is a five story building and Bruce said that there there's a basement as well.

"How is it?" Bruce asked.

"It's great." Dick said, making a 'not bad' face. "It looked cozy on the outside. What time is it?"

"It's uh... 7:35." Bruce said.

"I thought you said the party was at 8." Dick complained. "Why come this early?"

"Well, you're about to move in to a new house." Bruce said.

"Wait, this is my house?" Dick was genuinely surprised.

"Not yet, Boy Wonder." Bruce said. "You're going to meet your number one fan, which is the owner of this house, and THEN... it's your house."

Dick snorted. "Tim Drake is my number one fan? I prefer girls, but Tim is okay I guess."

Besides the apartment, there was a parking lot. It was pretty big, enough for a lot of party attendances. There weren't a lot of cars or motorcycles parked in the Cottage yet. It was 25 minutes before the party. There won't really be a lot of peoples coming at eight, but it will be guaranteed that all of them will come at least after thirty minutes.

Bruce parked his Lambo just on the parking lot. The engine stopped and the two immediately walked out of the door. As he locked the doors, Bruce walked with his always loyal partner and his new bodyguard for the day towards the Cottage. It'll probably take only.

"You know Bruce," Dick said. "I really don't think I should be your bodyguard. How can I be your bodyguard if my house was a few miles away from you?"

"Bodyguards aren't that protective." Bruce said. "Let's just say that you're having an internship or something."

"There's no such thing as an internship for bodyguards." Dick stated. "Even if there is, I don't think I'm going to be the best of one."

"You don't have to be. You just need to be one." Bruce said. "I could've put you in a stuntman on my horror shorts instead."

Dick seriously wanted to argue, but after watching that horror short Bruce made as the Batman, he took his argument and threw it out of the window. "Point taken."

They got in, and they are immediately stormed with a bright orange environment. Tim didn't really care for the lighting in the lounge. So he stormed in a little bit of orange. Even if it wasn't orange, the furnitures had that color range. The wooden textures of the furnitures didn't help much, but the HDTV that was in the lounge was definitely a little out of place.

"Hey uh... do you know where the toilet is?" Dick asked him.

"Yeah, through that corridor to the left, at least that's as far as I can remember."

"Okay, thanks." Dick immediately left him alone.

Speaking of out of place, the vending machine on the other side of the room certainly is. In front of the vending machine, there was a female teenager. Her blonde hair fell all the way to her shoulder. She didn't pay attention when Bruce opened up the door. All her focus is stuck on that vending machine and that soda that she's dying to get. Bruce caught a sight on her face the moment they entered the lounge and immediately recognized her. "Stephanie?"

Stephanie turned her face towards him. The moment she caught the sight of him, there was a noticeable shock in her face. Even after the soda dropped, her attention is stuck on Bruce Wayne. "Bruce..."

In a moment's notice, all he could remember was the day that he shot her mother. It was only seven years ago, but the effect lasted forever inside of him. He stepped on the gum and he brought that all the way back. Even if he tried to remove it, the effect will still be there. Bruce approached her very carefully. He just didn't want any problems with her, not anymore.

"How are you doing?" Bruce asked.

Stephanie froze still. She didn't even bother to take the soda that was already dropped in the vending machine. "I'm... I'm fine... thank you..."

"It's good to see you." Bruce tried to smile at her, but their last confrontation was just not the kind of thing that he would want to remember. It wasn't even a moment that he want . "Look, can we... can we get just one thing straight..."

"Bruce..." Stephanie halt him. She actually smiled at him. He has never witnessed her smile at him, not even once. "Don't worry. I forgive you. You were confused. I get that. I once put myself to your position, and I thought the same thing. It doesn't matter. What matters is that you helped me to get my degree. You paid for my mother's surgery, and I can't thank you enough for that."

It's Bruce's turn to freeze. What Stephanie just said was unexpected to say the least. "I... I never had a chance to say sorry to you personally. At least give me that chance."

"Like I said. I forgive you." Stephanie said. "Now let's just forget about that and start over, okay?"

"Yeah, okay." Bruce nodded. "So... what are you doing here? The party was upstairs."

"Thanks, Captain." Stephanie rolled her eyes away. "I'm waiting for my friends, Barbara and Wendy. We were classmates in High School. Barbara just invited me to a party and I can't just let that get away especially when Wendy is coming too. It's been a while since my last party, at least the one that I enjoy."

"Well, I hope you enjoy this one." Bruce said. "I think you deserve some celebration after your graduation."

Stephanie scoffed. "I graduated like a month ago, but I suppose you're right."

She went in to open the can of soda that she bought earlier. In all honesty, Bruce couldn't see the appeal on drinking a soda in the middle of a cold night, except if she is absolutely thirsty.

"So where have you been travelling to?" She asked.

"Well, I've been through many places." Bruce answered. "I mostly went to China, India, South America, and not the city part. I could've went back here for that. No, I mean like the most remote part of civilization. I have to detach myself out of this before I could even embrace my inner peace if you know what I mean."

"I understand." Stephanie nodded. "Most of the time, you could only find peace when you're like completely alone and merged with nature or something like that. I once wanted to just be left alone. So I went to the rooftop and did some meditation like five in the morning. I had some peace, but I just couldn't get it that much."

Stephanie glanced away from Bruce to notice that Barbara and Wendy had finished their business. The moment they noticed whom Stephanie was talking to, they were actually immobilized, standing still in place and pausing whatever kind of dialogues that they had previously.

Stephanie approached the two and greeted them. "So are you two done?"

"Yeah, we're done." Barbara said. She then paid her attention towards Bruce. "So do you mind if you introduce us to your date?"

"Oh, this is Bruce Wayne, and he's not my date." Stephanie revealed. "Bruce, this is Barbara Gordon and this is Wendy."

"I know. You're Jim Gordon's daughter, right?" Bruce said. He offered his hands. "Congratulations."

It took Barbara a while to process that the young Prince of Gotham right in front of her. Bruce Wayne was more known when he was younger. After his parent's death, he grew better, but he still hide that demon inside of him that was unnoticed to the public's eyes. He didn't wish Barbara to knew whom he was, both inside and outside. But thankfully, Barbara didn't show that terrified look on her eyes, only glamorous joy and a little bit of jealousy.

"Wow, Bruce Wayne as in the billionaire Bruce Wayne? And you're not dating him?" Barbara exclaimed. "Stephanie, you're an idiot."

"Eh... I don't blame her." Bruce said. "We had a history."

"Oh my god." Wendy gasped. Her mouth is covered and her eyes widened. "Your ex-boyfriend is Bruce Wayne?"

Both Bruce and Stephanie sighed.

"So... what did I miss?" Dick has finally done his business on his bathroom and approached Bruce and the three girls. "Whoa, Bruce. You knew these girls?"

"Uh... yes." Bruce said. "Dick, this is Barbara, Wendy, and Stephanie. Stephanie is an old friend of mine and they were all classmates in high school."

"Hi." Dick shook Barbara's hand first. "Richard Grayson, although peoples call me Dick."

"Barbara Gordon, and it's Barbara or Babs." She replied.

Dick proceed to shook Wendy's hand, in which she replied with mentioning her name. "Wendy Harris."

"Nice to meet you, Wendy." Dick replied.

Dick released his hand off of Wendy and went to Stephanie's. She replied by mentioning her name. "Stephanie Brown."

"Wait..." Barbara's reactions were a little bit delayed. As Dick revealed his real name, she didn't even bother to make the connection, but after a few seconds of short introductions, she immediately froze still and widened her eyes. "You said your name was Richard Grayson and peoples call you Dick. Dick Grayson!"

"No way!" Wendy also widened her eyes in disbelief. "But... I thought you died!"

"Uh... yeah about that." Dick scratched the back of his head. "Well, technically I'm not dead. I've just been missing lately."

The Grayson's reputations certainly had reached this far not only to the peoples years ago, but to the peoples on this day and age. Bruce knew all of it. Behind that face of anxiety, Dick was glad that his reputation still lives on, and that his parents and his legacy could still be remembered even to this day. He was honored, especially of those respective peoples who knew him were girls.

"You girls be prepared." Bruce interrupted their surprise. "The guy who invited you to the party is a big fan of the Flying Grayson since he was five."

No words to describe how astonishing that piece of news can be for the girls.

##

"You girls aren't coming?" Dick walked in towards the elevator without the girls following him in the elevator.

"We'll catch you guys later." Stephanie said. "We have something else to do."

"Okay. I'll see you on the party!" Dick said towards the three girls, waving his hand and carving his charming smile.

"Bye!" Bruce pushed him towards the elevator and pushed the elevator close button.

Bruce sometimes think about how long Dick had been interacting with girls or how long he had been exposed with girls lately. The extremely lacking presence of the opposite gender on his life let alone the one that were legit in terms of his age made someone like Dick Grayson to be desperate on the company of a young woman. That's exactly what made him this charming, and that's what made him to get that smile on his face.

"You should get a girlfriend." Bruce gave him his advice.

"Yeah." The Boy Wonder gave his reply. "But I don't even know what kind of girl that I want. I mean you married the badass mother of assassins and you both gave birth to one of the most dangerous kid that the world has ever had. By the way, how is she?"

"She's going to be fine." Bruce said. "Don't worry about it."

The elevator has stopped its digital interpretation of their current location. They have finally arrived at the third floor. The elevator door opened. Bruce began to walk out, but before he could make the step, Dick grabbed his shoulder and closed the door off.

"Wait." He said. "One of the girls, her name is Stephanie Brown, right?"

Bruce noticed his perception. The familiarity of the name Brown made him to reveal on whom he was referring to. "Yes."

"Does that sound familiar to you?"

Bruce had to tell something rather secret. He didn't want to take the risk. He closed off the elevator's doors and began telling Dick the super-duper classified information. "Stephanie Brown is the daughter of Arthur Brown. We've talked about him earlier. She was a year old when he got imprisoned."

"Does she knew all about this?"

Bruce looked away. The possibility of her knowing about this kind of circumstance might be a bit dangerous to say the least. "I don't know about you, but the way I see it, I think she's growing older than she looked."

And he wasn't kidding about that statement either. Behind that subtle emotional changes that she made, there was a person, damaged for the rest of her life and grew stronger from those pain. Someone in her age wouldn't just forgive someone who just killed their mother, but she grew wiser for it and forgave him anyway. This was the kind of change that Bruce experienced for the past years. There was a change between a weak, reckless, and unintelligent man into a strong, wise, and intelligent person.

He had witnessed someone like that before, and that person is just right near him. When he first met him, Dick Grayson as he met him was just a thirteen year old boy. Even then, he could see that fire burning on his eyes. He could see that spirit inside him, wanting to live as much as he wanted, and survive anything that the world has thrown into him. The Boy Wonder has turned into a man, and Bruce is happy to witness that.

Bruce opened the elevator door and walked away, leaving him to get clear of his thoughts. The elevator door is almost closed, but Dick pushed it away and followed Bruce behind.


	6. S01C06

Chapter 6

Bruce and Dick finally stumbled upon one of the managers of the said party, Ted Grant, the half bald, muscular bodyguard who got nothing better to do than just stand there with his tablet on.

"Hey, Teddy!" Bruce called him as he approached.

"Well, I'll be damned. Bruce Wayne on the flesh." Ted put away his tablet. He approached Bruce and shook his hand in the manliest of manners while laughing on the sight of the young billionaire. "How are you doing?"

"I'm doing well, thank you." Bruce said.

The moment he shook his hand, there was a slight tremor on Ted's hands. Dick realized it for a while. He knew that he was just an MMA fighter and nothing else, but the injuries had probably gotten the better of him. He was pretty muscular from the outside. So when Bruce actually grabbed his hand, perhaps it was just a test of strength.

"You got a grip there, Bruce." Ted also noticed the oddities. "What, you went boxing when you disappeared?"

"I had my fair shares of training." Bruce revealed.

Ted scoffed. "We should spar sometimes."

Bruce giggled. "How about you? Ever thought of going back to the ring?"

"Nah, the ring's a history." Ted revealed. "I think it's time for the younger generation to shine. You know, someone like Tim Drake. It took me a real hard time to train that little nugget, but when he actually kick ass, it was well worth the price."

"I heard he won gold." Bruce revealed. "Congratulations on that."

"Nah... It was mostly him."

"You trained him to be like that." Bruce said. "You're the one who made him stronger. You should be proud."

Somehow, Dick had the feeling that Bruce actually wanted to say those words to him more so than Tim. After all, Bruce and Ted had similarities. Both were training youngsters, and both made them into a total badass in the end. As far as he knew, Ted Grant was only a year older than Bruce, and even then, it was only a matter of less than six months of a difference.

"Alright, Bruce." Ted said. He glanced at the mysterious person right beside Bruce. Even the black vest wasn't really a dead giveaway for his significance. "So you might want to..."

"Bruce!"

The party man himself, Tim Drake, shouted from the interiors of the actual party room. The man walked towards him with his very formal and good looking suit. The bowtie fit perfectly well on his body, and most importantly, it was his bright smile that stole the night, the face that he made after the sight of his old friend.

Tim actually ran towards him. His hands were in the air, ready to embrace his old friend. Bruce moved forward slightly. Tim was already inches right in front of him, and he started off the party with a very warm and tight hug.

"Whoa! Whoa! Hey!" Bruce felt a little awkward on that hug. It was warm, tight, and the smell of fresh perfume engraved on Tim's suit was only making it better. "It's alright. I missed you too."

"God, you've been gone for so long." Tim released his hug. "It's pretty lonely when you're not around, you know?"

"I never thought that I'll give such a long impression." Bruce said. "But thanks anyway. How are you?"

"Like I said. It's nothing if you're not around." He kept saying that like he actually meant it, even though he didn't. Tim redirected his focus towards the Boy Wonder. "Mind if you introduce your new friend here?"

This is going to be the most shocking of moments.

##

_Ten Years Ago_

At times, there was a purpose on isolating him on that penitentiary. He was being tested. The world was testing him. The world was asking the question right him. It was the kind of question that he wasn't even sure if he can answer back. He wasn't even sure if he had an answer. Can he survive this? Can he stand the sight of children on his age with their freedom taken away? Will there be hope to survive this, or should he be looking for one instead?

He stopped thinking about that the moment the wardens just kicked him inside the cell. The dark cracks on the wall damaging it from one side of the wall into the other, the dirty peels of the paint that covered it, rotten and distasteful in the eye, even the visible hole damage that has gone through the layers all the way into the bricks and cement just right at the center of the room. The cell railings were another thing though. Large, thick, and powerful. Corroded, maybe, but still functional... barely.

"Get your ass in!" The warden said, kicking little Dick Grayson back inside his cell.

Dick stumbled into the ground, finally having contact with the rough and dirty floors of the cell. He turned back towards the man in the shadow and shouted. "I didn't do anything! You have to let me go!"

He went back up, charging towards the warden with his force, but it was no use. Before he could even touch his dirty ragged clothing, the warden swung his hand, hitting him with a very hard backhand. His vision blurred for a nanosecond before he could finally get the sight of the ground. Dick immediately regained balance, putting both his hands on the ground and making sure that none of his body completely hit it.

The Boy Wonder wouldn't give up that easily. He regained his balance, stood up, and marched towards the railings of the prison, but the warden was quicker. He closed off the prison door right before Dick could even regain his steps outside and gain back his freedom. In desperation, he grabbed the railings. He shrieked. His hands burning with anger as he grabbed the railings tight, trying to get it out of his way and shaking it back and forth, but he wasn't that strong. The rattling noise of the railings has signified nothing more than the loss of his freedom.

He stepped back, grunting with anger in the process.

"It's useless."

It was at the time where Dick didn't even realize that he had a roommate. That voice tingled down his spine, triggering him to look back to find out who has that voice. It was masculine, but it wasn't adult enough to be considered manly.

He found him. The room itself was already dark, but thanks to the rusty and uncomfortable double bed, in which he was comfortably sitting at the bottom, his face were completely covered with darkness. He got his hands crossed, not speaking a word even after that mess Dick had gotten himself into. He acted like it was no big deal. Dick wasn't even sure if he should consider trusting another kid that he barely met.

He emerged from his place and finally went out of the bed. He was very young. His hairs were brown and short. His face was bitter, but he could sense the confidence that was inside him. He didn't even flinch when Dick got beaten up by the guards. Not even a surprise or a move on his body.

"We won't get out of here." He said, approaching Dick very carefully. "Trust me. I've been here too long to know that."

Dick was very skeptical on him. He had that crept out sort of look that he gave towards him, but somehow, he believed what he said. His face were dirty like he was just as old as the environment that he is in. Dick believed that he had stayed here for a long time. The way he said those words, annoyed but relaxed at the same time, it was almost like he knew this was coming, and he's irritated to find out that he's right.

"You're hurt." He began to speak again, noticing the little blood on Dick's face.

"It was nothing." Dick tried to deny it, putting his hand away when he was trying to touch it.

"I'm warning you." He said. "You're not going to get anything here acting tough. The only thing you'll get is a beat up face and lots of scars, and I can't really treat it, not even here."

Dick wiped the blood himself. After that, he could finally get a good look at the roommate of his. He was as tall as him. He had brown hair. His eyes were dark brown, and his outfit was the same as what the warden has put Dick into: ragged and crap blue jumpsuit that did nothing better but make him look ugly.

"So much for social service." Dick said, scoffing bitterly on that thought alone. "Why did they throw you here?"

"I stole some tires out of the governor's limousine." He said, causing Dick to give him quite the puzzled look. "How about you?"

"I don't even know." Dick shrugged off. "They just throw me in for no reason."

The boy grinned. "Well, now that since you're my new roommate, I think we should know each other better." He walked towards Dick and offered his hand. "Jason Todd."

Dick shook his hands and revealed his real name.

##

"Dick Grayson, and yes, Dick Grayson as in the Flying Grayson." Dick finally revealed himself as he shook on Tim's hands. The moment Tim heard that name he couldn't be more shocked. Being shocked on that news alone is the most predictable out of reactions.

The moment he heard that name, Tim didn't even try to grip on Dick's hands. He just stood there, frozen still. He couldn't believe that someone like him just popped up right in front of him and admitted that he is one of his childhood icons. That disbelief can be seen right on his wide, confused brown eyes.

Tim ended up snorting on that statement. Surprise at first, yes, but ridiculous news like that couldn't possibly be some real news. "You're kidding..." Tim exclaimed before pausing and realizing what he was about to say. "That's... that's impossible."

"You could say that this is your graduation surprise." Bruce shrugged off.

"It's not a surprise when I know that you're lying." Tim said.

"I'm not lying." Bruce exclaimed. "He really is the guy."

"No." Tim yelled. "Dick Grayson is dead."

"He's not dead. He's right in front of your face."

"Bruce!" While at the midst of their argument, Dick actually yelled at his him. It wasn't something that students will do towards their masters, but it was certainly surprising to say the least. "Please, don't push it."

Bruce stopped talking and backed off. He just started off a small argument, and it wasn't really a good one.

"It doesn't matter, because I'm not asking you to believe." Dick said, and now his face turned into Bruce and Tim. "Seriously, if you're going to argue about beliefs, you might as well as knock in on the front door to talk about Jesus Christ or something. Now shut up. We have a party to enjoy."

That little rant of his managed to shut every single person talking with him there. Dick actually went in without any sorts of registration or proper check on the guest list. That was mostly because of Ted, who didn't even bother to take the tablet out of his pockets.

"He..." Bruce had no words. All he could do is to shrug at best. "I don't even know if he does that."

"Well, Dick Grayson or not, he's right." Tim shrugged off his disbelief. "Just add him to the guest list. I want to have a little chat with him."

"You should." Bruce added. "He's going to be your neighbor. I'm buying a room for him here."

Tim looked at Bruce with skepticism written all over his face. "Wait, you're saying that Dick Grayson is going to be my neighbor?"

"I'm serious, Tim." Bruce put his hands on his pockets, trying to look serious and everything. "I'm a little busy in the mansion. Give him some time and space."

"I'm sorry, Bruce. It's just..." Tim said. "I don't believe it myself. He's still alive, all this time. Where the hell have he been? What happened in that circus? Was it really an accident?"

Bruce sighed. "No, it wasn't."

##

As he entered the cottage, there was a very large rectangular room enough for a bunch of peoples to dance and have a good time with. Dick was right in the middle of it, admiring the scenery with putting his hands on his back, showing that he had some class and respect towards his number one fan as well. He smiled, amused of the decorations that Tim put and the efforts that went into it. The mini bar, the retro arcade machines, the air hockey, and the coolest neon lights he ever witnessed.

The whole stage had a very modern feel to it. Thanks to the very bright neon lights, it was brighter in the inside more so than the outside. The disco light was hanging right in the middle of it, and he actually installed neon lights below the balconies. The floor wasn't wooden, but it had a wooden texture on it, which gave a more traditional feel among the modern incarnation.

Beyond those decorations and interior redesigns, there was a certainly a young, beautiful, long black-haired girl configuring things on the DJ set. She was a bit surprised on Dick's presence, and she didn't even know his name.

"Sorry if I surprised you." Dick apologized to her, even though all he did was just wandering inside the room. "Ariana, isn't it?"

"Are you one of Barbara's friends?" She asked. "Or are you Ted's? Because you're not certainly Tim's or at least I don't remember you're being Tim's."

"Oh, I am." Dick said to her, keeping that cool attitude inside. "But let's just say that I've been away from him for a little too long."

"I don't recall Tim having long distance relationship with his male friends." Ariana said. "Where are you from?"

"The Afterlife."

The moment he gave those remark, Ariana glanced at him with disbelief. She scoffed at the comment and went back to her work. "What, you came back from the dead or something?"

"Yeah, sort of." Dick said. "Because if I came back from the dead, I should've died first, except I didn't. Peoples just kept saying that I'm dead for some reason."

Ariana put a very curious face and stopped her activities. "What... you're not making any sense. What are you talking about?"

"I don't want to take the risk of you getting shocked." Dick said. "Your boyfriend is still standing in front of the door hearing the news."

"Try me." Ariana slightly moved forward, grinning with confidence. Except she didn't know what's coming.

"Dick Grayson."

There was nothing that could drive her crazier than a zombie claiming to be her boyfriend's most favorite childhood icons. Dick Grayson, the Boy Wonder, is right on the dance floor and just joke his way out of this. She didn't expect to take it seriously, though. "You're kidding."

"He's not."

Tim Drake suddenly came in and shouted. Instead of being completely bewildered by the notion that he technically got a zombie right on the dance floor, he ignored it and instead focused on convincing his girlfriend about what's going on all this time. Dick wasn't even sure what he's going to do with him.

"I heard that you're buying a room." Tim said towards Jim. "I'll let Bruce pay you, but you have to do me a simple favor."

"Fine." Dick said, shrugging off. "What's the deal?"

"The Quadruple Somersault."

Quadruple Somersault is basically a front flip for about four times. It was a very common move that Dick had to perform for the entertainment of the many. The moment he heard those words, Dick snorted. The somersault is, no doubt, one of the hardest moves that most circus performers had to work hard to even be able to get that much on a trampoline. The Graysons are unique. Acrobatic talents are on their blood. They can master that technique only in about months.

"In this world, only three peoples have known how to move in such speed and agility without even the needs of using trampoline." He began. "Mary Grayson, John Grayson, and of course the Boy Wonder himself which you claim to be."

Dick gave a confident smirk and a distasteful giggle. "If Quadruple is four, how would you call six?"

Tim raised his eyebrows. Dick actually challenged him for six. Not only it was slightly unhealthy, but it was rather foolish as well. "Hexatuple or Sextuple."

"The Sextuple?" Dick giggled on those immature statement. "That sounds stupid."

"It's stupider when you crash and burn." Tim said.

"It's stupider when you had to admit that I am right." Dick challenged him. "By the way, your backflip was flawless, but your cartwheel still need some work. I really love our talk about monkeys, and I still want to see that large gym of yours."

Shock could not describe what kind of feelings he had right now.

Dick took the stairs to get up the balcony. He walked up on the edge of the railings and he managed to perfectly balance himself like he was really the master. The way he did it, it was almost like he knew what he was doing. He stretched his arm wide up, still managing to regain balance on the edge like he was standing on the trapeze.

And finally, the jump.

The so-called Sextuple Somersault is pretty much a lie. The balcony was about ten feet tall, and in just ten feet, Dick jumped. The first flip was successful... then the second... then the fourth... then the fifth... and finally the sixth. Even at the sixth, he was halfway to the floor, and he did the seventh... and eighth... before finally landing flawlessly on the ground.

Astonishing couldn't even describe the words. Tim Drake could only pause at this very moment, trying to comprehend that one of the best gymnast in the world is now right on his apartment. Dick Grayson was practically better than his parents at this moment. The Octuple Somersault... even Dick himself didn't even know it was possible.

"Oh my god." Ariana herself was astonished.

Dick walked off towards Tim from that jump like it was nothing. "So how about that, monkey? You still like being called one?"

Tim grinned. "You just gave physics, gravity, and human physiology the middle finger."

"Hello? Boy Wonder?" Dick said. "There's a reason why people call me that. It's not because I did the impossible. It's because I'm impossible. Like I said, I'm not asking you to believe. It's a fact." Dick gave a very amusing smile.

Tim gave a very bitter and annoyed sigh like he had to admit something. "Okay, Dick. You win. It's really you. I suppose there's no time for me to be a fanboy, aren't there?"

"No, there isn't." Dick shrugged it off. "But there's still time for party, right?"

Tim giggled while Ariana followed soon after. "The party hasn't even begun yet, but still, welcome."

##

It was 8:15, and the real party has just begun. The crowds were starting to fill up the dance floor. There was just a relaxing music for the crowds to enjoy for a few minutes before Tim officially open the party up, but there is something riveting on a relaxing progressive house music strolling through the crowd's ears with consistent beat, beautiful melody, and a very nice tempo that come up with it.

This night was special for Tim Drake. The unexpected resurrection of his childhood icons and the fact that he wanted to stay here is more than just a graduation present. It's more of an honor. The entertainment media certainly needed someone talented and skilled like Dick Grayson rather than those talentless artist hacks that did nothing but to bring in the laziest attempts to cash in.

As the crowds began to chat with each other on their respective groups and friends, Tim glanced his eyes on the daughter of the most respectable cop in Gotham City. Despite this party going to be wild, she still wore her casual glasses and outfits, and that bright red hair that she got, almost like she dyed it on purpose instead of it coming off naturally. She was talking with her blonde friend who looked a little less special, but still stood out nonetheless.

"Barbara Gordon." Tim called. Both Barbara and her blonde friend noticed the call and pleasantly smiled at him. "I'm glad you could make it."

"Well, I can't miss a high school reunion." Barbara said. "Thanks for inviting my friends, Tim. You know them very well."

"Well, I had a good database." Tim shrugged off, slightly blushing.

The blonde girl had her turn to say. "What database?"

"Barbara, of course." Tim said. "It's not like I'm stalking her for information or anything."

The blonde girl looked at him with skepticism. She crossed her hands and raised her eyebrows on that ridiculous remarks. "Tim Drake, isn't it?"

"Uh... yeah..." He nodded, not knowing what to feel about that.

"Stephanie Brown." She shook his hands, but by the time she did, she tighten her grip and began one of the least intimidating threats that he had ever heard. "And please, never think of stalking my friend again."

Stephanie glanced at him, pretending to be intimidating on the eyes at least, but he couldn't get intimidated with a blonde and take it seriously. She didn't even try to be serious. She just grinned at the most non-intimidating of fashion. She went in rather close to him, trying to challenge him with just the best of her stares, but it was too funny to watch. That challenging stare at her eyes could only cause him to be amused with it.

Barbara smirked, giggling. "Relax, Stephanie. He doesn't bite, at least as far as I know."

Stephanie released her surprisingly strong grip, and she grabbed the same guy who had gold in MMA. Tim extended and tightened his fingers back and forth before putting it back to his pockets. "So... Stephanie, where did you come from?"

"I mostly live at Newton, but I've been travelling for the past years." Stephanie said. "I graduated at Harvard. I got my Associate's Degree in Mechanical Engineering just a month ago. I guess we have a late timespan."

"Wow." Tim was genuinely impressed. "So this wasn't just our celebration."

"Nah, I don't need celebration." Stephanie said. "You both deserve one. You got your Bachelor's Degree at a young age. Me? I'm nothing special."

"Well, you're going to need something that makes you one." Tim said.

"Timothy Jackson Drake."

Someone from the back actually popped up. It was none other than the other billionaire that he had been long friends with, and that guy was Oliver Queen from Starling City. His blonde hair, his thin beard, and that silver suit that he always wore was always a catch in the eye. The sight of him just made Tim rather surprised. "Oliver Queen!"

"Congratulations!" Oliver hugged Tim off. "You're always the best, Tim."

"Nah..." Tim shrugged off. "I don't think so. I got myself a competition."

Oliver raised his eyebrows. "Wow, there's actually someone smarter than you?"

"Technically yes, except she's on a different field, and yeah, it's a 'she'." Tim said before noticing Barbara and Stephanie were just amused of his initial reunion. "Oh and uh... Oliver, this is Barbara Gordon. You know Detective Jim Gordon? This is his stepdaughter."

"Hey." Oliver said, shaking his hand to Barbara.

"She's my competition." Tim revealed.

"Oh, how so?" Oliver asked.

Barbara got her hands off of him to reply. "Computer Engineering if that's what you're asking, Mr. Queen."

"Oliver, Please."

"And this is her friend, Stephanie Brown." Tim pointed out at her. Oliver shook Stephanie's hands.

"Nice to see you, Oliver." Stephanie said. "I'm honored to meet one of the most successful businessman in Starling City."

"Eh... I'm not really a businessman." Oliver admitted. "It was mostly my assistant and my coworkers who did the work. I'm just enjoying what I got."

Suddenly, Oliver got a phone call. Using his Bluetooth Headset, he accepted the call and made some of his arrangements. "Oliver Queen... Yes, make sure that you got the reports due tomorrow. My subsidiary in Russia is not going to be amused by our stock price rising. We still have a lot of business to do... Yes... Thank you." He closed off his conversation. "Sorry, guys. My phone calls are not very friendly of me lying."

Tim, Barbara, and Stephanie giggled on that thought alone.

"I thought you could only sent your message." Tim said towards Oliver.

"Well, Kane was very busy and I can't convince her to get here so I came here instead." Oliver said. "Oh, how about Bruce? Is he here?"

"He was here actually." Tim said. "But not sure where he is right now. Anyway, I'm going to officially open this party. I'll catch you guys later."

"See you later, Tim." Oliver said.

Tim went up to the DJ stage. It's just 15 minutes after the said required time and there are enough guests to officially open the party for good. Tim got the microphone on and turned off the music.

"Okay, guys. Thank you all for coming to this graduation party." Tim began. "After all of that struggle we had in Gotham U, I think we deserve some form of celebration. First of all, I want to give some shout-outs. I'd like to thank my beautiful girlfriend Ariana Dzerchenko. She's helping a lot on making this party possible. You're amazing and I love you so much. Please do give some applause for her."

Peoples clapped for Ariana, who was standing in the balcony all this time hearing on what Tim just said. Ariana could only blush and some of her friends gave a pat on the back out of jealously.

"Next is Barbara Gordon for being so kind to invite her friends to this party. You're all awesome." Tim said. "And finally, my friends and my family who has come here to celebrate. Once again, thank you all for coming. I promise you I'll give you the best graduation party you'll ever be in. We got beers, arcade machines, swimming pool in the outside balcony, and most importantly the most amazing EDM tracks served for all of you guys. So let's open it with some bang. I'm Tim Drake, and welcome to the party, pals!"

Tim Drake turned on the music and the crowds were already cheering up to the opening EDM track. It's just the tempo and the beat that keeps people going, and no matter what, peoples just love the reckless, more than necessary beats per minute music. The lights were completely off. The only lights available is the DJ set and the disco lights turning around showing bright lights all over the place.

Welcome to the party.

##

"Alfred, report." Bruce asked.

"There is about to be a transaction and a potential gang war between the local Gully Carson gangs and the Fifth Row." Alfred reported. "I've given you the coordinates."

"Wow, it's close." Bruce said. "Don't worry. I'll be there."

"Be careful, Master Bruce."

Little did Dick know that Bruce had a lot of places where he can store his costume. One of which was his Lamborghini. Bruce got a secret storage at the front where he could get all his costume on the get go. The Batsuit was intended to be compact and flexible and can be brought anywhere, and thankfully the Lamborghini is one of the places to go.

Bruce pressed a bunch of buttons to turn the autopilot mode on, and as such, the autopilot mode is turned on and is confirmed thanks to the notification that the GPS screen on his side said. He sent the respective coordinates and the Lamborghini is able to figure out where to go next. Thankfully, the GPS AI by Wayne Enterprise was smarter than any other GPS AI out there, rivaled with KORD to be honest. Even though Bruce knew the city inside out, he still needed that bit of help.

"ETA 5 minutes." Bruce revealed. "Well, this won't be long."

Bruce pressed a button on his supposed to be airbag container, but it turns out to be a storage for his about to be legendary Batsuit. It was folded very well with the gloves and the utility belt, and a lot of gadgets too in the process. The mechanical nature of the Batsuit is perfectly viable to transform into the most compact of forms. As such, it is able to be carried at just a simple golf bag.

And now, it's going to take a while before something amazing is going to happen.

Bruce Wayne is no longer inside the car. He has fully transformed into the creature of the night. He pressed a bunch of buttons and it's finally the time to join with the wind. "Initiate launch." He said.

"Launch initiated. Launching in five... four... three... two... one..."

The Lamborghini opened up the rooftops. The launch is merely just a thruster on the chairs to launch Bruce up sky high in the air. The launch is fast enough and is perfectly capable of launching a fully-armored Batman for about 15 feet in the air. Bruce did his maneuvers in the air and launched his glider. Even though the cape's width could reach both of his arms, it can extend to about three meters. Other than the glider, it can transform into a mini parachute able to slow him down when he's about 10 feet above the ground.

"Computer." Bruce said. "Autopilot status."

"Autopilot Mode: ON." The computer confirmed.

Bruce let loose of his glider and let it flow alone. He got his holographic map turned on and pointed out at a specific location. "Park in the marked location. Normal speed."

"Location received. Parking to the location. ETA Five Minutes."

All that is left is for Bruce to just travel using the glider and the grappling hook on his hands to get around. He could only manipulate the direction of the glider and not the amount of lift he could use. This part of Gotham had a lot of low-level apartments, an ideal place for a gang war to happen. The said gangs were just preparing for the worst, but they do not prepare for something like this.

Batman grappled towards one of the buildings and lift up. From there, he observed the two gangs. Both were away from the street and in a back alley somewhere. It was wide enough for a war, ideal enough for a warzone, and discreet enough for transaction. It was night, but the Batman could still observe them. Using sonar projections AKA Detective Mode, he is able to tag a bunch of targets. The sonar projection is detailed enough to the point where he could calculate the amounts of bullets that are left in the casings in their guns. It's ideal for configuring tactics.

_Fifteen members from each gang. Total of 30 peoples to incapacitate. Each of them were armed with thug-class armory, cheap but effective for murder. I can take them down from here using Shockwave Blast. I need to dive bomb into the middle of them and turn it on. The shockwave blast will incapacitate every man in five meters range, but they were too far away. So I have to take one gang at a time. Only one shockwave capacity, enough to take down one group, but I'm going to have to do this the hard way for the other one. _

_The Fifth Row was about to sell something towards the Gully Carson. Looks like I'm dealing with the buyers first. _

After giving his observations, Batman glided through the top of the Gully Carson gang. There were fifteen of them gathered up for some sort of negotiation. The moment he got to the top of them all, he began his dive bomb move, which was basically diving straight through the ground. His gloves were ready to give the most shocking of all shockwave blast. Moments before his hand touched the ground, the gloves produced a blue energy from the palm of his hand. It grew even bigger as it went closer to the ground.

And in an instant, the shockwave happened. It managed to blast an entire fifteen members of street gangs. An energy blast occurred around the Batman. The blast was enough to push all of them five meters away, hitting walls, garbage cans, the ground, name it. Batman intentionally jumped into the right position so that the blast could throw the Gully Carson gang towards the other gang members. The amount of surprise plus the amount of energy that the shockwave gave to the men has completely shocked all of them out of existence. No Gully Carson gang members are able to protect themselves now.

Almost all of the gang members were thrown right into the rival gang. This managed to completely confused all of them. There was no time to react. The members who got caught in the blast were thrown on their face, and they have no time to take out their guns and shoot whoever did that.

The moment that happened, the Batman disappeared.

"What the fuck was that?" One of the Fifth Row gang members said. He immediately took out his Uzi out of panic and began aiming without any sorts of direction.

"I don't know, man." The other replied, taking his small pistol out. "I heard from the news that there was a giant bat beating up thugs. Could this be him?"

"This can't be real." The Uzi guy said. "He just took out all of the Gully Carson gang with that blast thing. How are we supposed to fight him?"

"We don't even know where he is." The Pistol guy said. "Have you guys seen anyone or anything?"

"No."

"Nah."

"Nu-Uh." One shook his head.

"Shit." The Pistol guy said. "Here's the thing. He's going to take us out with that blast thing again. So the best thing is we're going to need to split up. Charles, you got the back. Charles...?"

Before he could even say anything more, the Charles guy did not even respond. "Has anyone seen Charles?"

"He's out." One of the guys reported. "He got knocked out by one of the Carson."

"Damn it... What the... "

"BEHIND YOU!"

The ghostly presence of the Bat finally appeared right behind one of the gangs. He took a knee towards the guy's stomach. One is enough to shock him. He grabbed his head and threw his entire body into a nearby wall, knocking him out. One out, fourteen more to go.

And of course, the other fourteen members were ready with their guns out. The sole purpose of this entire plan was just to completely waste their entire clip towards the Bat and test the brand new armored cape. The gangs were ready with their shot and immediately took an entire barrage right at the Dark Knight. The Bat could only cover himself with his cape and crouched down.

All of those precious ammunitions wasted towards the Bat, and not even a scratch was made even on his cape. Every shot of ammunition coming out of the weapons just sneaked out of the cape and fell down to the floor. There were only five of them shooting at the Bat while the other nine was just guarding from the back. All five used a standard issue Uzi, all 9mm, all 32 of them in a single clip, all 160 barrage of ammos, and not even a single one that was strong enough to penetrate the powered cape.

"What the fuck..." All gang members were bewildered by that revelation alone, but the Batman didn't stop there.

They didn't even bother to shoot. Knowing that it was practically useless, they charged in with all of their fists and kicks, not knowing that it was a big mistake charging in towards the Dark Knight in the first place. Ten men charging in simultaneously towards the bat, but no one could even stop his strength. Despite the armor looking heavy enough for someone like him to lift, he was still very much agile and powerful. Not only he dodged the kicks and/or punches from the men, but he could also throw them off balance and smash them one into the other.

There aren't many things that they can do to even stop the man. So they just ran off away and without even bothering with their weapons as they're practically useless against the giant beast. The thing is the Dark Knight does not tolerate cowardliness. He immediately got his grappling hook and shot it towards the top of the buildings right above them. As he propelled all the way up, he dropped down, right in front of the criminals, scaring the living crap out of them.

"No escape." The Bat said with his gruff voice.

Having no other choice, one of the guys just charged in towards the bat, fighting him with his own fist. He swung his first punch, but the Bat is able to just block it and throw his even stronger punch to his face. Twelve down.

One was equipped with a 2x4 that he took as a weapon. He swung his 2x4 wooden plank towards the Bat. It wasn't so effective. The Bat easily blocked the swing. The 2x4 wasn't strong enough to get through his gloves and in turn, completely break upon impact. That alone was too much to terrify the guy. The Bat immediately gave a quick kick to the side of his ears, causing his head to slam against the wall, knocking him out at least. Thirteen down.

The other two was unfortunately too smart for melee encounters. So they took out their gun, but they forgot how fast the Batman can be. The Batman did a roll towards the first guy. He was about to shoot, but the roll managed to completely throw his aim off. After the roll, the Bat punched him in the stomach and quickly gave him an uppercut, throwing him off the air and landed with unconsciousness. One more to go.

"Screw this." He threw his pistol and ran away, but the Batman, once again, was faster.

He shot his grappling hook towards the foot of the guy and dragged him closer. The shot of the grappling hook could only pull him closer towards the Bat's hands, and in an instant, the Bat grabbed his leg and pulled it up so that he could hang him upside down. The man groaned, screaming in panic and waving his hand around trying to find a way to fight, but the Batman was too strong.

"Please, don't hurt me!" The man said, lifting his leg into the air and leaving his head hanging close to the ground.

"Bryan Wills." The Bat spoke. "Member of the Fifth Row. You're lucky that you're still alive."

"How did you know my name?" Bryan asked.

"I know everything." Batman said. "What's going on here?"

"We're just selling drugs. It's the new stuff called Thrill. It's real good." Bryan said. "It's no big deal, I swear."

"It's a big deal when Thrill is involved." Batman said. "Where did you get it?"

"We stole it from Zucco's warehouse at the docks." Bryan said. "Please don't hurt me!"

The moment he said that, the police sirens were already heard in the distance. The Bat turned around noticing the sound. He took out his GPS. He projected sonar and found two police cops coming closer to the crime scene. "You're lucky this time." The Bat kicked the guy's head for good and put him down the floor. He shot his grappling hook and launched himself upwards, escaping the crime scene.

After he reached the building, the Batman stood over the edge. The darkness was on his advantage as he was completely covered with it. He zoomed in towards the police cars to identify the cops. What a coincidence. Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock were around the area. Judging from the area, perhaps he was devoted more on going into the party and keeping an eye close to his daughter. The Drake Cottage was just 2-3 miles from here. Thankfully, he wasn't really known for being fast. This one is just a little lucky.

"Computer, initiate extraction." The Batman said towards his Bat Computer.

"Extraction Initiated. Sending rendezvous coordinates."

Jim Gordon arrived at the scene with about thirty men completely knocked unconscious. None of these men seemed interested on the idea of regaining their consciousness. None of these men were scattered at the most right of manners, and none of these men were dead. "Who the fuck could possibly did all of this?"

"My guess is that Batman guy might have done it. These Fifth Row ballers deserved every punch." Bullock said, picking up something that Batman has left. "Gordon, check this out."

Gordon went towards Bullock to notice something that was stabbed at the neck to one of the thugs. It was some sort of shurikens with the shape of a bat. It's a brilliant design and the tip is sharp enough to cut off a human skin.

"It's like those ninja throwing knives or something." Harvey said. "What was it called again?"

"I don't know." Jim Gordon said, picking up and observing the said shurikens. "It's evidence, Harvey. Keep it that way." Gordon took a sight on the briefcase that the Fifth Ballers left. He couldn't be more astonished on the sight. "Thrill."

"They're selling drugs here." Harvey said. "But why? I thought Zucco sold the Thrill Drugs."

"I don't know." Jim Gordon said. "But we're going to need more cuffs to get all these peoples to prison.

##

It's certainly a bit lonely without the presence of the billionaire around. Bruce Wayne was like a brother to Tim. He had been a great friend to play with even at the most desperate of times. Through the many crowds gathered around the party, the familiar sight of the billionaire just wasn't around for some reason. Tim glanced in every bit of corner, every look on the face, every suit, but not even a person is found.

But there is still one other person that can give him some hope, though. There are a lot of peoples on the swimming pool both inside and around. He had hoped that peoples inside the swimming pool had spare clothes, but he didn't care for those peoples. The Boy Wonder, who was obviously more familiar with Bruce than anyone else, was off chatting with a strangely familiar redhead at the balcony near the swimming pool. As he approached the two, the redhead became very clear, and it couldn't annoy him more that she was on his sight: Vicki Vale.

"Tim Drake." Vicki spoke first, greeting him with some pleasantry that he was sure wasn't genuine. "Nice to finally meet you."

"What are you doing here?" Tim asked.

"Oh, I'm just enjoying the party and talking to one of the most talented peoples on the Earth, two in fact." Vicki said, winking towards Dick Grayson in the process. "I hope that didn't bother you, though."

"No, no I mean why are you in my party?" Tim asked, redirecting his question.

"Well, you let me in so..." Vicki shrugged off that fact.

"I let you in because I want to know why you really want to be in my party."

"What, you don't like me being in your party?"

"It's not that. Don't get me wrong. You're a great journalist." Tim said. "It's just... a little unusual to have you here."

"You're the guy with the PhD." Vicki said. "I think you should figure that one out yourself. Your drinks are great by the way."

"I didn't have a PhD. I got my Bachelor's Degree in Business Management." Tim revealed. "If I had to speculate, I think it was because you want to ask Bruce Wayne out. Well, sorry but it's not happening."

Vicki twitched her head left and right and shrugging. "Well, yeah. It's not happening, but mostly it's because I got someone better for the coverage."

"What... oh..." Tim glanced at Dick Grayson. "Dick, she's using you for her article."

"No, I didn't." She replied. "I'm just enjoying the party."

"She's right. Even if she is, so what?" Dick shrugged that one off. "I want an article myself. Besides, I had a soft spot for red heads."

Tim was slightly disappointed on the intelligence of one of his favorite childhood icons, but he shouldn't be surprised. He was an artist after all. He demanded to be famous. "Well, by the time you turn really famous, you won't be. Trust me. Bruce had bad experiences with reporters."

"Thankfully, he didn't tell me this one." Dick ignored every word that Tim just said and focused more on the attractiveness that was Vicki Vale. Honestly, Tim didn't even find her attractive.

"Fine, whatever." Tim said. "I'm looking for Bruce Wayne. Have you guys seen him?"

"Oh uh..." Dick scratched the back of his head. "I think he said that he got some clients to work with..."

"Hey..."

The Billionaire popped up right behind, much to Dick Grayson and Vicki Vale's surprise.

"I'm sorry." Bruce began to give his excuse. "I had a call with an important client. So I went to your lobby for the moment."

Tim sighed. "Grownups, busy at the most inconvenient of times. Have you seen Oliver Queen? Yeah, he was really enjoying this party especially the part when he get called off by his supervisors or something."

"Don't be mad." Bruce tapped on his shoulder. "At least we have a party to enjoy. Isn't that right, Dick?"

"Damn right." Dick replied. "Oh speaking of Bruce, I got something important to talk about." Dick grabbed Bruce's hand and just dragged him into somewhere else more private.

Tim sighed. "Billionaires and famous peoples."

"Funny, Attractive and pretty Busy." Vicki continued, causing a slight irritation at Tim's face. "What?"

##

"Why are you taking me out?" Bruce asked. "Is there something wrong?"

"Well, the video that you showed me..." Dick began. "Check the YouTube front page."

Bruce checked in the front page and was surprised to actually see that one of his videos got leaked. The video that got leaked couldn't surprise the billionaire even more. It was rather an astonishing view. The thumbnail showed a bathroom that looked quite familiar. It had that found footage sense to it like it was recorded through a security camera. The man looking at the mirrors couldn't look more familiar. That's where Bruce came into the conclusion.

"How the hell?" Bruce questioned himself. "Did you upload this video?"

"I didn't! I swear!" Dick threw his hands, guarding himself from anything that Bruce will say towards him. "I don't have time for that!"

"So who did?" Bruce asked.

Dick could only shrug at best. Whoever got through Bruce's personal files must have been enthusiastic enough to get themselves punished.

##

A/N: I added some swearing. I think it's more authentic this way.


End file.
